


Sunrise

by Sangabrielle



Category: The 100, clexa - Fandom
Genre: Alpha - Freeform, Canada, Clarke Griffin artist, Clarke Griffin photographer, Classic Music, Drama, England - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Haphephobia, Justice, Mistery, Phobia, Pianist Lexa Woods, Stalker, USA, Wolf Pack, Wolves, Writer Lexa Woods, criminal, lesbian love story, mafia, mental issues, soul mates, vengence, wild life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:14:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 62,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27660017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sangabrielle/pseuds/Sangabrielle
Summary: Clarke, is a young woman who is haunted by a tragic event. The Canadian photographer and artist, will do whatever it takes to find the truth, and the responsible.Lexa, a famous British pianist who prefers to keep people at a distance as she doesn’t like people touching her. She prefers to live a semi solitary life keeping strangers away from her, and only letting her family close.How will the two young woman’s paths cross? What does destiny have in store for them? Will Clarke get the justice she wants? Will Lexa let strangers close to her, or continue living as she has always done?
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 37
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome everybody to a new Clexa AU's fic. 
> 
> This story is not about wolves 🐺or lycans or anything like that, even when in the first chapter you will read about Clarke became part of a pack of wolves, in the Canadian's mountains while she was a teen. The story is about Clarke searching for the responsible of her father's death, to bring him to the Canadian's justice. That will lead her to the famous young pianist Alexandra Woods, or Lexa Woods, who is the youngest of the children of the leader of a criminal organization, Titus Woods, that apparently was the one who gave the order to eliminated the Canadian lawyer Jake Cotter.
> 
> Is a very slow burn love story and a very complicated one, with lot of twist and turns, drama, comedy, action and romance of course, as always in my stories, all the ingredients included. But you know me, soon or later Clexa is happening, turning down all the walls and difficulties in between, because their love is powerful and unique, and because they are soulmates, and of course, they will have their happy ending  
> 💚♾💙✍🏻
> 
> So I hope you will enjoy this new story, and thanks in advance for those kudos, bookmarks, comments, good constructive critics and for take the time to read my story and support me! You guys are the best!❤️👍🏼
> 
> Thanks so much to my amazing friend and translator Joanne for her great job!❤️👏🏼  
> Sangabrielle x

[](https://gifyu.com/image/itm5)

3 months earlier, in some mountains outside the Canadian city of Vancouver...

\- Auuuuuuuuuu....... - The woman howled like a wolf, after a long walk through the forest until she reached a cliff. Her voice amplified into an echo, lost in the abyss in front of her.

It was a beautiful day, early spring. The young woman could see and feel how life was returning to the forest especially on the lower part of the mountains, after the snow had melted, with the arrival of the first warmer temperatures.

It was the only place where she felt completely free, away from everything and everyone. Where her soul was completely released as if she had wings and flew. And nothing made her happier than to be reunited with the pack of friendly wolves, which she had done for many summers that she spent secluded in those mountains, recovering her humanity.

The pack of wolves always waited for her after winter, for her to return and meet them again, as happy to see her as she was them. She had learned to howl with perfection, and if you didn't see her, she would pass for one more wolf. She howled again from deep inside her, letting out that particular sound, filling the silence of the beautiful place, which only she and the rangers of that natural reserve area knew.

It was strange that her friends hadn't shown up yet, usually, they did immediately after a howl or two. She frowned, trying to look in all directions, even widening her view thanks to the binoculars she always carried in her camping backpack, hoping nothing bad happened to the pack.

She walked a little further, heading back into the forest when the Alpha male of the pack appeared behind a tree. Her good old friend and brother Zen, who would be the incredible age of twelve by now. That was a very good age for a wild wolf, they normally live between six and eight years, but old man Zen was truly a legend, and she couldn't be happier to see him once more. 

She smiled, stopping walking while her blue eyes connected with the intense ones of the old animal, who only looked at her from a distance. It seemed as if he was torn between slowly approaching her, or running to meet again with that human who had belonged to the pack for a long time, for almost his entire life.

The woman knelt and lowered her head, respecting the Alpha male. The animal watched her warily, beginning to walk in her direction. He seemed to be alone and that was strange to her, but she stood there waiting for her Zen friend to come to meet her, sniff her a little and recognize her. In recent years the old Zen had become more cautious about her visits, perhaps because of his age and that he was losing his instincts for recognition a bit.

The animal stopped in front of her, almost a meter away, and sat looking at her, moving its head as if it was sharpening its sense of the human in front of him. The woman then raised her head slightly, connecting her eyes to Zen’s, who immediately dropped to the ground and rolled towards her as if he was a normal wild cub, making her laugh.

Without wasting time, the woman threw herself on the animal, hugging it with joy, as the wolf welcomed her by wagging his tail, giving her long licks on the face, and jumping around her, moaning with joy, making her laugh, while she caressed the wolf.

\- Hello, Zen brother… Yes, I know it's been a while… I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier… I've missed you too… But why are you alone? Ah...? Where are Gaia and the pack?

The animal separated from her and after looking at her for a moment, it turned its enormous head towards some trees, from where the rest of the wolf pack began to emerge, howling and moaning, wagging their tails in joy. So did Gaia, the beautiful, all-white Alpha female, along with some funny and awkward new cubs, who ran over to where she and Zen were. She immediately understood that his friend Zen had incredibly become a father again, despite his age, the old man seemed to still have his gifts intact. Gaia was the second companion of Zen, before Gaia his mate was Zita, a beautiful brown and gray wolf that she adored as much as Zen. After her death, Zen chose this beautiful almost completely white wolf, whom the woman named Gaia.

The little four mischievous wolves hid behind their father, jumping around him, or nibbling his paws, while Zen growled a little. The wolf could probably keep playing, but the woman thought and understood that he no longer had too much patience for those daring little ones.

His human friend and sister fell in love with the image, was surprised and excited to find that Zen had become a father again. Those puppies were just beautiful, she thought fascinated now, stroking them a little. At the same time the wolf mother and female Alpha of the group, Gaia, approached her partner slowly, carefully observing each movement of the human friend with her youngs, who had now turned to inspect the being they didn’t know and could not recognize as one of them.

Gaia was not so attached to the human friend of her Alpha mate, she always kept a certain distance, although she knew that the human belonged to the pack, and the woman respected her discretion. The pack generally accepted the human as part of the group, but some kept a distance.

\- Congratulations Zen, I see that you are a father again. And congratulations to you too Gaia, your offspring are beautiful and very unruly by the way... 

The woman laughed as she was attacked by the little savages, at the same time she lowered her head, and tore the ground as a sign of respect for the female Alpha of the pack. Gaia did the same under the watchful eyes of Zen and his little ones, who were hanging on his legs again. The rest of the pack was still some distance away, almost as if they were waiting for the Alpha male's signal to come over to greet their human friend.

\- These guys are daring ah…? But so pretty…. And what about the rest of the guys? Are you not going to give them the signal to come and greet me? 

Clarke asked Zen, who seemed to understand her completely, and after howling something for the rest of the pack, a stampede of wolves piled on top of the human to greet her between howls, licks, jumps, and cheers, infecting her mood immediately.

The woman couldn’t have felt happier than to be reunited with her pack. She couldn't stop laughing, rolling on the floor, and caressing everyone who came up to greet her affectionately. Some were huge, but she knew them well and it just felt like coming home to family. Then she returned to the little ones of the pack, with whom she lay down to play for a long time, under the watchful eye of their parents, who simply lay at a certain distance, like the rest of the pack, and somewhat calmer.

After a long time of playing with the naughty little ones, it was time to eat something. So Clarke went over to her big backpack where she had several things, in addition to a sleeping bag since she planned to spend a couple of nights with the pack. Although her cabin was not far away, she felt her group of friends only when she slept with them there, in the open or in the cave that they had further up the mountain.

Clarke pulled out some things to eat, she wasn't very hungry, sitting quietly next to a tree, gazing at the awe-inspiring scenery in front of her. Those high mountains, the lake which seemed distinctly green, because of the lush forests that surrounded it. The sky was clear and deep blue, along with a sun that was already hot enough. There was barely a cool breeze that played with her blonde hair, and caressing the skin of her bright and happy face. Because this was her place, this was her family, and nothing filled her soul more than being there every summer.

As always, she took a deep breath of fresh and pure air that filled her lungs immediately making her shudder. She closed her eyes for an instant and let herself be carried away by the peace of the place, disconnecting from the crazy and busy world, from humanity. She was home once more, she told herself, opening her eyes again, a smile on her face, as she now took a bite out of her cheese sandwich.

Suddenly Clarke felt the presence of her brother Zen, who sat next to her, looking towards the same place as she did. She looked at him from the side smiling, caressed him until she hugged him, feeling the warmth of the animal, and how hard his heart was beating. Clarke was aware that the chances of seeing him again another summer were almost nil, she had felt it since the last three summers. So her happiness to find him still alive was clouded a bit by the sadness of knowing that at any moment she would lose him. One of his older sons, Roan, was his successor, and he was quite friendly with her, but obviously, he wasn't Zen, her old friend, her soul brother.

\- I wish I had four legs and was one of your guys Zen, so I could stay with you and the pack. You don't know how happy I would be if I could always be with you. Sometimes I feel like I don't belong to the human race at all, especially in recent times. - The woman expressed with some anguish in her voice, hugging the old wolf, inhaling his scent deeply.

Zen turned his head and after looking at her with those eyes that always expressed so much, he gave her a lick on the face, then finally lay down beside her. Clarke stroked the magnificent animal, then fell on him hugging him again. She didn't want to feel sad, or with that anguish of knowing that his time was limited. 

Clarke knew that wild wolves normally lived between six and eight years, and the fact that her brother was now twelve, suggested that he would not have long to live. The woman tried to put that feeling of fear and sadness aside, so the animal wouldn’t perceive them too much. She tried to calm her agitated and tight heart, feeling the warmth of his body, and that soft fur that sheltered her so many times in the past, on the cold nights when she took refuge in those mountains with the pack.

Clarke smiled from her soul smelling that characteristic smell of Zen, and trying to shake her fear and sadness for the unstoppable, she sat up, surprising her brother a little. She beginning to take off her clothes before the attentive gaze of the animal, that knew very well what would happen next, and the reason for those movements of his human soul sister.

Clarke couldn't say it was summer, but it wasn't winter either. The wind was chill, but the woman was already used to doing this ritual, even with lower temperatures. The animal stood up and watched her now wagging his tail, he knew what was coming next, and he wanted to be part of it as always, even though he could feel that his body no longer responded as quickly as it used to.

After Clarke finished removing all her clothes, including her bra and panties, the woman looked at Zen with bright eyes. The Alpha male howled, alerting the pack to prepare. It was a fun time, except for her Alpha mate Gaia, who was nursing her young, and she wouldn't be joining in with the game. The Alpha male approached her and sniffed her, as if to say, now I'm coming back precious. Then he approached two of the wolves, one was his son Roan and another, moaning, using that very particular language. Clarke understood that Zen didn’t wished that his partner stay there alone with the young, and left those two young males as extra security since they stood near the Alpha female.

Then the pack of wolves with Zen approached her, who was ready for that crazy race in the forest downhill until they reached the lake. A tradition that they had maintained for many summers and that everyone adored. The Alpha male stood next to her, and howled again, the human imitating him along with the rest of the pack excited by that run.

\- Alright boys and girls… Are we ready? AUUUUUUUUUUUUU...! One…. Two and…. THREE!

As if the animals knew that a human could never run as fast as they could, after saying three, the woman shot down the hill, without the wolves immediately following her. Not until Zen gave the order after a couple of minutes that always gave his human sister an advantage.

The howling pack finally rushed after her. The woman howled like the rest of the animals, without stopping running at full speed that her two legs gave her, knowing perfectly the great disadvantage she had, compared to her friends.

Halfway there, Clarke noticed, looking sideways, that Zen was now running alongside her, avoiding trees, pines, and the odd rock. The blonde woman was used to running barefoot in this place, but she was always careful not to get a foolish wound from some sharp rock, or some splinter from a fallen tree. It wasn't easy at that speed, but she was very skilled, that she had learned with the pack since she was a teenager when she joined them….

Twelve years ago ...

The young woman had moved away from the cabin where she always went for the summer with her parents. It was a beautiful afternoon, and she decided to go into the beautiful and magical forest she adored, when inadvertently she was being watched closely by curious eyes. When suddenly a huge bear appeared in front of her quite angry, and almost about to attack her. Without giving her time to react, she heard the howl of a wolf and other howls that were adding little by little to the sound.

The huge bear descended from standing upright on its two legs, to the ground, as if dazzled by that interruption of those annoying wolves that normally ruined good hunts. The giant animal complained loudly, opening its mouth and showing those incredible fangs, about to devour the woman in one bite. The bear very threateningly approached the teenage human, who, terrified, only took steps backward without losing sight of the giant animal. She knew it would be worse if she tried to run away, or turned her back on the bear.

But when she felt her back collide with a huge rock, she thought that was her end. She couldn’t even scream for help to her father, she was drowning in terror, her blue eyes wide, watching the huge animal now approaching slowly, as if enjoying her terror, returning to stand on its two legs without ceasing to growl.

When the bear was about to jump on top of her, out of the corner of her eyes she could see wolves pouncing on the giant animal in front of her. They had jumped from her back, positioning themselves in front of her body, she would almost say protecting her, forming in a semicircle. They were about four huge wolves in size, challenging the annoying bear in front of them, which upon seeing them came down again on all fours, but trying to scare away the annoying animals that now surrounded him, ready to take him down.

The bear didn’t notice that more wolves were approaching from behind and they immediately jumped onto his body, causing injuries in several places. The animal complained of pain and fury, trying to get rid of those wolves, waving his body and arms, trying to reach them, but when he turning only found more wolves attacking him, in a perfect combination and strategically.

The teenager didn’t know whether to run or just stand there, in part she was fascinated by the action in front of her eyes. She was also afraid that if she ran away, the wolves would follow her, and try to carry her off, as she had seen in so many documentaries. But as she was trying to make up her mind, she felt the presence of a huge wolf standing next to her, watching the dramatic scene in front of them.

The young woman looked at him with terror in her blue eyes, feeling that if she moved it would be her end. She thought that the wolves were only stealing the bear's bite, that was her. Although she didn’t understand why that animal had not yet attacked her, and was only observing the action in front of them, standing beside her. She knew she couldn’t escape her destiny, so she just sat on the ground holding her bent legs against her heaving chest. She kept watching as the pack of wolves finally ran to the huge bear, who, giving up, started to run, followed by the animals still excited.

She then prepared for her end, her body trembling like a leaf, she hugged her legs tightly and closed her eyes. She hoped it would be quick and she would not suffer, she asked God. But after a few minutes, she could feel the breath of the huge wolf around her hair, and her face, as if it was sniffing her in detail. The young woman stood very still, she could hardly breathe. She kept her eyes closed tightly, holding her shaking legs, and praying that the animal would only give her a deadly bite and that she felt nothing else. She could feel him walking around her body. She could smell it, could feel the great heat emanating from that giant, furry body.

Until finally she felt the body of the animal push her, and simply lay beside her to rest, as if it were a domestic dog, waiting for the rest of the pack to return from running after the bear.

The stunned and still terrified teenager slowly opened her eyes looking at the animal lying next to her. She watched him not knowing what to do, what was she supposed to do, she wondered mentally. She didn’t understand why that giant wolf didn’t attack her yet, and simply rested by her side as if it were her dog, accompanying her.

It was a very beautiful animal, with a coat of mixed colors between gray, black and white, it was very special indeed. It was so magnificent that she would have loved to have her sketchbook, her pencils, and draw the wolf’s portrait right there. Even when she was terrified, her art crossed her mind in a flurry of seconds, as she watched him with her heart still racing. The animal breathed easy, just looking ahead where its comrades had run after the bear.

The teenager was tempted to caress that wild and precious fur. At least the animal didn't seem like it was going to attack her right now. So slowly her left arm moved from that strong grip around her legs. She tried to control her breathing, her nerves. She knew that maybe she was doing something very stupid like wanting to pet a wild animal, and nothing less than a huge wolf, but she was somehow fascinated with the animal by her side.

The wolf began to feel her discrete movements, even when they were so minimal. Its huge head and piercing eyes followed her movements and when the young woman was about to manage to touch him, the animal showed its teeth, warning her to forget about the silly idea, without even moving from her side. It was as if the wolf just told her, don't touch me, and stay still.

The rather nervous young woman did so, she returned her hand to her body, and the animal relaxed again, returning his attention to where the pack had gone. When a howl alerted him causing him to sit up immediately, sitting on his hindquarters. He howled in response, causing the teenager to cover her ears from the thunderous sound next to her.

At the same time as that sound ran through her entire being, as if enormous energy that made all the hairs on her body stand on end. For some strange reason, she identified with that sound, withdrawing her hands from her ears, while the wolf was still howling. She looked at him admiring that strength and feeling with which he did it.

For another crazy reason, the teenager smiled, feeling more familiar with the whole matter of that wild communication. As if carried away by the moment, she simply tried to imitate the animal, beginning to howl next to him. Surely if the wolf was a human he would have laughed out loud at her low tone, mimicking the howl. The animal looked at her with curiosity, without stopping howling at the herd that responded to him in the distance but approaching the place.

The teenager kept howling louder, as loud as her lungs would let her, until the wolf just sat up, feeling the pack close now, and positioned himself in front of her, like he was protecting her somehow. 

She finally closed her mouth watching carefully the animal move uneasily in front of her body. She imagined that perhaps the wolf was nervous when the pack returned to find that they hadn't taken care of dinner yet. 

She tried to shake off those thoughts, she didn't need them, but she was grateful that that animal hadn't killed her yet, or even bitten her, and now he was pacing in front of her as if he was incredible protecting her.

The excited pack was arriving slowly, looking towards where the teen was, almost hidden by the Alpha male of the pack. They made sounds as if they were communicating with each other. Most had blood on their faces, perhaps they had fought or injured the giant bear, others were limping a bit. The young woman imagined that even if they attacked in a group that bear could have killed a few of the pack.

Suddenly the thoughts of the teenager were interrupted when she felt that a small animal leaned against her body and began to nibble on her arms. Looking at it, he was a beautiful and very mischievous wolf cub, who immediately started playing with her, or at least that's what he was trying to do. She didn’t even manage to touch or move, surely the giant Alpha male was the father of the cub. So the young woman didn’t intend to play with the apparent luck she was having. If the father of the baby felt that she could do something to the little one, her life would surely end.

Soon her gaze went to a very excited wolf who was getting dangerously close to the Alpha male in front of her. He looked defiant, angry at the strange protection that the leader of the pack had decided to give the young human. 

She tensed again, knowing it didn't look very good. The challenger was a fairly large wolf too, like the apparent leader, who was not going to stop protecting the human, for some strange reason that the teen didn’t understand, but was grateful for so far.

After howling and circling in front of the Alpha male, the challenger made his quick move jumping on the leader, starting a fierce fight between the animals. Immediately they were surrounded by the rest of the group excited by that fight, of apparent power or leadership, or decision of what the hell to do with the human. The teen was grateful that the apparent Alpha male was on her side, but she didn't know if he would win that rather savage and bloody battle.

Meanwhile, the cub stopped biting her and simply took refuge in her body, in her stomach more precisely, as if seeking her protection, while he watched his supposed father fight that fierce battle. When suddenly another wolf stood next to the teen. 

She looking at the animal, noticed that it was a female, and from the elongated nipples, she concluded that it was probably the mother of the little cub, who was sitting on his stretched legs now. 

She was a beautiful female, she thought, distracting herself a bit from the battle of power that was still unfolding in front of her. Between howls and moans not only from the contestants, but from the entire pack that was watching the battle. She also noticed that the female next to her looked quite attentive to the fight and tense, it was no wonder, the young woman thought. If her apparent Alpha partner lost the battle, her cub and herself probably both will be kill by the new leader of the pack, and of course the teen will also pay the price too.

Her thoughts were again interrupted, when she heard a loud moan, her blue eyes watched in horror as the Alpha male gave a strong bite to the challenger on his back, making it sound as if it was the bone of the animal breaking. The challenger remained lying on the ground, moaning in pain, he had blood oozing from various parts of his body, and he was very agitated from being in pain and it was no wonder.

The Alpha male put his paw on the body of the defeated wolf, and howled in celebration of his victory. The rest of the group did the same, honoring the leader who still was in charge, luckily for the teen. The female next to him also howled, and the young woman noticed that she was more relaxed, wagging her tail, as happy for her partner's victory. The little boy club stood up immediately and also began to howl, making the teen laugh because it was the cutest thing she had ever seen and heard.

After several minutes of feasting, the Alpha male withdrew to the young woman’s side, beginning to walk in circles, seeming to inform the pack of his decision to perhaps not feed on the human that night. The nervous teen only prayed that it would be so. 

They all howled at the end, as if following the directions of the Alpha male, beginning to move away from the place, losing themselves among the lush trees and pines of the forest. Only the young woman remained in the place, along with that female wolf by her side, and the cub that was still sitting on her legs, whom she caressed almost without realizing it. But the one who did realize it was the Alpha male, who immediately laid his intense eyes on that act, and he didn't looks very happy about it.

The animal looked at her eyes, and then at her hands caressing the cub, an act that the teen stopped immediately, cursing herself internally. With care, very slowly, she removed her hands from the cub, who ran to meet the leader or his father. 

The Alpha male finally more relaxed lay down agitated by the fight, licking his wounds. The teen could see they didn’t seem very deep. Although he had a wound on his back that he couldn’t reach, and the adolescent without thinking took off her shirt immediately and after spitting on it a lot with her saliva, she approached the animal almost without fear, although cautiously.

The female wolf stared at her showing her teeth, not very happy at her sudden movement approaching the injured leader. The Alpha male watched her for a moment in surprise, but he looked exhausted from the fight, dropping to the ground on his side, revealing the exposed and bleeding wound. 

His partner approached him along with the cub, and the teen who knelt beside him, and with trembling hands held her slightly moistened shirt over the wound but didn’t put it onto the wound yet. She was terrified of doing this but wanted to help her savior. 

She was very aware that the precious animal had risked its life for her, to protect her. The animal growled in warning, but didn’t seem to have much strength to do much more. The female wolf immediately approached the young woman very dangerously, almost on the verge of attacking her, she thought, but she stayed still for a few seconds watching her closely.

\- I… I just want to help you…. I… I'm going to heal you, okay? Don’t hurt me, please…. And thank you ... for saving my life.

The young woman moved her hand trembling to the wound, putting her shirt over it, to try to contain the bleeding, which luckily didn’t seem as terrible as she thought at first. While the cub played around his father, and his mother, the female wolf now sniffed at her tired mate, breathing heavily, licking his face.

The teenager continued with her work trying to treat the bleeding wound, but she needed water. There was a lake nearby, but she didn't know if it was a good idea to move from there. The other injured wolf had moved a little too, almost crawling, bleeding from his wounds, he didn't look really good. The young woman didn't think he would survive, much less have any energy left to attack her with. 

But still, she didn't trust herself and It was also getting dark, the teen could see how the sky was turning reddish, and the sun on the horizon was beginning to disappear between the high mountains, and the temperatures also dropping some degrees. She felt it in her body too, now half exposed to the cold. Her skin immediately felt the cold, that was coming very normal at night in those places, but the truth was, that it was the least of her worries at that time.

The young woman pleaded for that brave and protective leader not to leave her, not to die there, or she would be at the mercy of the pack, since the little one that kept nibbling on the paws of her tired father, was not old enough to take the leadership yet. She wondered which wolf would take over in the pack, perhaps the defeated defiant, if he survived his injuries, and that wouldn't be the best thing for her.

But among all her speculations and thoughts, she noticed how the mischievous little one sat and peed near them. Without wasting time the young woman took her shirt, and dipped it as much as she could in the little cubs urine, which obviously wasn't much but it was more than her saliva. 

She knew well that it was a very good natural disinfectant. She adored the little one for the time being, as it couldn't have been better for her. Once the shirt was wet she moved back to the alpha's wound, who groaned when she placed the shirt on it, making the young woman jump in terror, who despite everything, stood firm with her trembling and bloody hands on the shirt wet with urine on that wound.

The female wolf approached her defiantly, looking at her with intense eyes and again beginning to show her sharp teeth. This was not a good sign, she told herself, but she simply concentrated on the task of disinfecting the wound and stopping the bleeding.

\- I'm sorry… Shit! I'm really sorry budy… But I must do this to help you… Please don't hurt me, and either you ma’am…

The young woman begged with tearful and desperate eyes looking at the Alpha male wolf who was still complaining, and at the female wolf, who slowly approached her, very threatening. 

That was not good at all, she thought, now feeling the female's breath on her neck behind her, she seemed about to give her a deadly bite, when suddenly the Alpha male growled a warning, and it wasn’t for the teen, but his partner. The female wolf immediately moved away from the young human, and returned to her partner's face, sniffed and licked for an instant, in which they communicated in some way.

Then, before the teen's surprised face, the female approached where the wound was, and after raising her leg, like the males, she proceeded to piss on the girl's hand and that shirt covering the Alpha male's wound. 

Unbelievably she seemed to have understood her intention, and was only helping out with a little more urine, that the smiling teen appreciated, feeling that hot yellow liquid on her hand, but that it smelled really strong. Once the wolf had finished urinating, she turned to the Alpha male, to lie beside him expectantly.

The young woman couldn’t believe how that animal understood her, how she understood that she was only trying to help the Alpha male with his wound, despite making him hurt, but she thanked God for it. She kept pressing on the wound until it stopped bleeding. 

The teen didn't know how much time had passed, but the sun had gone down and it was night, it was dark, she could hardly see around her. All she could see was the glowing eyes of the animals next to her. She soon noticed the presence of two more wolves that seemed to be there for the protection of the leader, who had fallen into an apparent sleep. 

The cub was delighting in sucking on its mother's nipple, and the exhausted young woman felt her stomach make complaining noises. She hadn't eaten since breakfast. But what surprised her the most was that her father, Jake, hadn't noticed her long absence, and hadn't come to look for her in the woods. It wasn't that far from the cabin they were staying in. This was the first time that trip had been undertaken by themselves, because her mother Abby, had not been able to get a vacation from the hospital where she worked.

The young woman decided that she could finally go home, she was no longer afraid of the wolves, they had undoubtedly become her friends for some strange reason, but she was for sure thankful. She caressed the back of the Alpha male very gently, causing it to wake up, but unlike before, he didn’t growl or show his teeth threateningly. 

The male wolf only moved his head looking at her intensely for an instant, and then continued lying there, still tired, trying to recover from his wounds. The female wolf had practically licked every part of the Alpha male, especially on all his minor wounds, cleaning every trace of blood from his fur.

\- I think... I think you'll be fine my friend... Now... I must go... My father must be very worried... Thank you... for saving my life, for protecting me... I hope to see you again one day...

The young woman stroked the wolf’s neck and behind his ears, causing the Alpha male to move a little, but allowing himself to be caressed by the human for the first time in his existence. All was under the watchful eye of his female companion nursing the cub, and those two guardian wolves, who walked around them, watching for any movement in the dark.

When the teen ran her hand over his neck once more to get up and leave. The huge leg of the animal lifted, and dropped onto her hand. The young woman got upset and worried. Was her life still in danger? She wondered nervously, looking at the animal with her blue eyes while open. 

But something inside her told her that this animal would not harm her. The Alpha male’s face approached her hand, and suddenly licked it a couple of times. It seemed that he was thanking her for healing his wound, while his tail moved like a happy dog.

The young woman smiled feeling moved by that special moment, that connection with the huge wild animal. She then brought her hand to the heart of the wolf feeling its strong beats, and looked into his eyes connecting with his being. She could felt right there how that wolf was letting an imprint in her bare soul, making her eyes became wet and the emotions running through her whole being.

\- From today we will be friends... I promise to protect you, as you have done for me today. Now I must go, or my father is going to worry a lot. Take care my friend, ok? I want to see you again and that beautiful family of yours. Auuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu …… - After the young woman finished speaking, she produced a very special howl, one that she tried to emit from the depths of her being, as those magnificent animals did. 

She didn't know how she did it, but it sounded different than her earlier first try. She felt that it was born from her very soul this time, and like a ray of energy ran through her entire being, until it came out of her mouth. The Alpha male simply howled in response, as did the rest of the pack. They seemed to be saying goodbye, and it was something very special.

With eyes full of tears from the emotion of that moment, the young woman finally got up and prepared to start the journey back to the cabin. She knew where to go, she knew that forest quite well. She looked at everyone for the last time and began to enter the dark forest, when she felt a presence at her side. 

Rolling her eyes a little fearful, she realized it was the female wolf, mother of that cute cub. She didn’t seem to want to attack her, on the contrary, she simply walked by her side, attentive to everything around them. The young woman realized that the female wolf was only accompanying her to protect her on her way home.

The teenager was happy and so excited about everything that had happened, that she couldn't wait to get to the cabin, and tell her dad Jake everything. Sure her father was not going to believe such a story, but she was sure that in time her friends would accept her father as well, and show themselves close to her, showing Jake that everything she said was true. 

Her father was a great lover of the animal kingdom, and a staunch protector of nature. She never understood why instead of becoming a lawyer, he didn’t become a game ranger when he left the military.

But when she was about to get to the cabin, she heard a gunshot, and then she could see the light of the flames, a huge fire that consumed the cabin as if it were made of paper. She stayed frozen in her place next to the female wolf, who although was scared by that shot and those flames, didn’t leave her side and in a protective move, the wolf stood in front of her body. The young woman was engrossed in watching the hut being consumed by fire, and no sign of her father anywhere.

\- DAD! DAD!! - She began to scream desperately, but she heard no reply.

Suddenly in the distance, she heard the motor of the boat with which she had arrived at that place with her father that same morning. Wasting no time she ran to the small dock, believing that perhaps it could be her father seeking help to find her. Although she didn’t understand what the hell that shot had been, and why the cabin was on fire.

The wolf accompanied her closely on her run to the lake dock, but almost upon arrival, she noticed that it was not her father who was in that boat, but rather two men who looked everywhere, as if they were nervous or fleeing the place and making sure no one saw them.

It was when the young woman understood with horror that her father could still be in that burning cabin. She ran desperately back to the cabin, but when she got there, the building was a huge ball of fire. It was impossible to try to get in and see if he was in there.

\- Oh MY GOD NOOOO DAD!! DAD!!! WHERE ARE YOU, DAD!? - She called again with tears running down her cheeks, knowing it was probably useless.

The silence and darkness of the night enveloped her, only the sound of the wood burning in the fire was all she could hear. There was no sign of Jake anywhere, and that made her even more desperate. She knelt on the ground defeated, drowning in her desperate crying. The wolf next to her was turning around and looking at the ghostly scene of that burning cabin.

The animal then began to howl loudly and with a huge feeling of sadness, the young woman would say, as she could feel it in her soul. It seemed that the female wolf could feel or smell death, and that shook the inside of the teenager who couldn’t stop crying desperately.

Soon the other wolves arrived at the scene, including the Alpha male and the little cub. They surrounded the young woman and began to howl, perceiving death near them, being consumed in that immense fire.

The teen was terrified to think that her father was in there, burning alive and that she couldn’t do anything. But she could only wait for the fire to burn the cabin down to confirm. The pack stayed with her keeping her company, after a long time of howling which filled the dark valley.

Unfortunately, the young woman had no way of communicating with anyone, since her phone had been left inside the cabin, and also there was no reception in the valley. Jake always carried a transmitter radio in case something happened, and they needed help immediately, with which he could communicate with the ranger's cabin, several miles away.

But the young woman was afraid that everything had been consumed by the fire inside, and those two men had taken the boat with which she could have gone for help. Jake had taught her to use it, her father had always prepared her in case something happened to him or her mother, and she was in a situation like the one she was in now. 

But the pain at the macabre image was so tremendous that she couldn’t think clearly, she had not even realized that she was only wearing her bra, since the shirt she had used to treat the wolf's wound, after treating it left it next to the animal. It was impossible to wear it again with all that blood and wolf piss.

She was awake all night, while the cabin continued to burn, until at dawn the fire finally finished consuming everything, leaving a thick trail of smoke, while the rays of the rising sun peeked out between the distant mountains. Those faint rays of light were slowly awakening the young woman, who at some point had fallen asleep surrounded by the warmth of the wolves at her side, who had circled her body, to protect her from the cold of the night.

The young woman barely felt the heat of the rays of light on her eyes, she began to wake up feeling the heat and the weight of those animal blankets close to her body, practically on top of her. If it hadn't been for the pack, she probably would have had a very cold night. 

She looked towards the ruined cabin, still smoking a bit, but not wasting time, after getting up carefully not to disturb her friends too much. She approached the ruins, letting that tremendous burning smell penetrate her nostrils, something she would never forget for the rest of her life.

Upon entering the perimeter of what was once the cabin, it was not long before she discovered the macabre discovery of what was left of her father's charred body. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces and after falling to her knees she cried desperately again. 

Outside, her wolves friends howled along with her grief, as if they could understand the pain of her tremendous loss and shared it as if she belonged to the pack.

But the young woman didn’t pay much attention to the emotional or incredible fact, she had so much pain in her heart. Everything around her had been consumed by fire. There was nothing left that she could truly salvage until she saw the suitcase that her father had been so determined to take on that trip. A new one that he had acquired, low in weight, but resistant to everything, both fire and water, and all kinds of blows. 

Luckily for her in it were her clothes and some of Jake's too. She approached it, and when she opened it, found that indeed nothing had been damaged inside, so after thanking her beloved father, she put on new and warm clothes.

She knew that if she wanted to try to get out of those mountains, she would have a long way to go without the boat to cross the great lake. It would take her days to get to the other side, where the nearest town was, since she would have to go around the mountains. 

The teen was grateful that her father had taught her everything she needed, to survive in the woods and mountains. Jake was a former Marine, from the Navy Seals, so he was very well trained, and he was an expert in survival in all kinds of terrain and circumstances.

After a few years in the navy, he decided to return to land when his new wife Abby announced that they were expecting a baby. Jake decided it was time to go back to dry land and be with his wife, having a somewhat quieter life. So when he left the navy, he dedicated himself to finishing the law degree he had started, before joining the naval military force. 

Jake Cotter was currently a lawyer, working for a very famous law firm in the Canadian city of Vancouver, from where he was a native as was his wife Abigail Griffin, or Abby as he like to called her, who was a young doctor. 

After the birth of her daughter, Abby had not been able to conceive any more children. She had aborted naturally three times, until finally with Jake they decided that they would not keep trying, since it was causing an emotional upheaval to the doctor.

Clarke Jane Cotter was the only daughter of the young couple. From a very young age, she felt more attached to her father, in addition to being almost an identical physical copy of the lawyer, in a female version. Especially with her blond hair and intense blue eyes. The girl had always stood out for her strong personality, her love of drawing, animals, and nature.

Now she was in those smoking ruins of the cabin consumed by fire, with the lifeless body of her father whom she had covered with a jacket. After removing the suitcase from the charred remains of the cabin, she searched the ruins for everything that would have been left, that could be of use to her, such as knives, food cans, and other utensils. She knew she couldn't just wait for her mother to notice that something had happened. That would be in a week after she didn’t return with her father as planned.

After finishing with that task of recovering what she could to survive, she approached the charred body of her father, and after an enormous effort, she managed to remove him from the remains of the cabin to give him a burial. She didn't want animals to interfere with what was left of her father. 

Immediately she noticed a small hole in the middle of her father's forehead, understanding that that shot she had heard, was the one that had ended her father’s life before the cabin was consumed by fire, and in part, she gave thanks that he would not have suffered.

But the teen also realized that her father had been murdered, probably by those two men who fled in that boat. Assassins who unfortunately she didn’t see very well to identify them, once she managed to get out of there and reach civilization, and the police.

At 16 she had to face the tremendous and sudden change of course in her life in a drastic way. Now she had only one purpose in her dazed mind, to discover who and why had murdered her father. Her life would be dedicated to it, and she would stop at nothing. 

Even knowing that the job was up to the police, she would do an investigation as best she could. Especially if the police couldn't find the killers and find out why her father had been murdered. Her father Jake was an honorable man, decorated by the navy, a good man, completely honest, someone who could never have done anything wrong to deserve that horrible death. Or made that kind of enemies that could killed him in such way.

Clarke was very young, but she knew very well that Jake was not into anything shady or criminal, she knew her father too well. Although thousands of possibilities crossed her mind, and the only thing she could think of was something related to his work perhaps. 

Her father was a criminal lawyer, and perhaps someone dissatisfied with his work could have done that to him. But there were too many possibilities, she told herself. And right now her priority was to survive in those mountains, and try to get to the nearest town to report the tragedy.

After burying her father, incredibly helped by the pack, who saw her try to dig a hole in the ground, they approached her and began to do it with their paws, before Clarke's absorbed gaze. Although she was so mired in the pain of the tragedy, that she couldn’t thank them for their help, she only continued to dig with a shovel that had been saved from the fire.

After saying goodbye to her father, she took what she could to set out on her long journey. Always accompanied by her new wild friends, who had decided not to leave her at mercy of the situation she found herself facing, since as soon as she started walking along the road, they followed her closely. Clarke was grateful to God for having sent her those protective angels in such terrible circumstances.

During the next few days, she became more part of the pack, learning from them by watching them in different activities that they did during the day and night. Always continuing on her way to return to civilization, although every moment she spent with the wolves, made her question her decision to return to civilization. 

The teen felt so good there, next to the pack of wolves, she even managed to somehow overcome the tragedy of her father’s murder, feeling more calm and determined. It was as if those incredible wild animals transmitted their power, their energy, and their absolute peace to her. She could feel them so close to her, more than any other human being she had even known.

One of the nights she spent with them, she witnessed that wonder that she always loved to see with her parents, the magical Nordic lights, or Aurora Borealis. She had been awakened by the lick of the Alpha male of the group, who seemed to want to wake her up. 

The young woman could understand that was some kind of ritual, that the pack had, before such a heavenly event, and also it was a full moon night. They were in a cave, so when she got out of it, she found that sky covered by those green and red waves, magically moving over her and her friends. 

It was so incredibly special, that immediately after the first howl of the Alpha, male, the whole pack began to howl in unison. Clarke was not far behind, and along with her fellow wild travelers, she simply began to howl, causing the sound to come out of her mouth. But at the same time, she could feel the pain coming out of her, and she was partly relieved. The teen also knew in her heart that that night she had been impregnated by the spirit of the wolf in her very being.

That same night she decided to name the little mischievous cub, who didn’t detach from her at any time, called him Zen. It was an Asian name that she had always liked, and she thought it suited the cub very well. She never dared to name the cub’s parents or the other members of the clan. Only the youngest of the pack, since he had somehow adopted her as his own, even though his parents were alive.

It took her almost seven days and six nights to go around the mountains, it was a long journey, exhausting, but one she would never forget. Especially for the wild magnificent company. The moments lived with her friends from the pack, who when she almost reached civilization, stopped following her. 

It was like they knew how far they could go, without going into the human world too much. Young Clarke understood, and also knew that if other humans saw them, they would probably shoot them out of fear. So with tears in her eyes, she hugged the Alpha male and Alpha female, as well as little Zen, before continuing on her own for a few more miles towards the busiest highway. 

They all gave her one last howl of goodbye, which sounded sad in the young woman's aching heart. Clarke howled likewise to say goodbye to them, and thank them also for allow her to became like one more of the pack, even when she was a human. And promised them that she will return and rejoin them when she could in the future.

The promise was fulfilled two years later, after turning 18, she asked her mother to give her the freedom to return to that place. Abby wasn't very happy that her daughter wanted to return to the mountains, as she feared for her life. 

Clarke and her mother had moved to Europe, months after Jake's tragic death. They had traveled to France, since Abby's family came from there, and she still had some members with whom she stayed for a long time, in the city of Colmar, on the border with Germany. 

But Clarke only wanted to return to that place, to meet again with her friends from the wolf pack once more, then she would go to study at collage, in the city of Vancouver, to which she had returned with her mother, since Abby didn’t want to let her go back to Canada alone.

The only problem was that her mother couldn’t accompany her to that place in the mountains, where so many summers she had lived the best times with her loving husband and daughter. There were too many beautiful memories that still hurt for Dr.Cotter. 

Her daughter promised to keep in touch while she was in the mountains, with the transmitter radio, and through a good friend of her parents, the ranger Thelonious Jaha, who usually settled during the summers in the reserve area, together with his son Wells, who was the same age as Clarke. 

The teens were friends since childhood, growing up in the same neighborhood, and attending the same school, they had become almost like siblings since both were only children. Wells's mother had died in childbirth, and the boy had grown up with his father.

From that summer on, Clarke returned to the mountains to meet again with her pack of friendly wolves, who always received her with the apparent joy of having her back. She learned to recognize them individually, and to follow their lives as well, as well as studying everything about wolves while she was not with them, so she could understand them more if she could. But Clarke knew that her unique connection to them was not written in any book, or explained in any National Geographic documentary.

Clarke had pursued a degree in art and photography at the University. But at the same time, she had started training in a very special way, not only self defense, and how to use different kind of weapons, guns and knifes. But Clarke also learn all about computers and informatics, transformed herself in an expert hacker, to find information that guide her to the people responsible for the death of her father.

Her purpose in life was to find out who had murdered her father, and the reason, obviously because the police, as she predicted, had not found his murderers, or the possible reason for his murder, and closed the case after two years of not making any progress on the murder now cold case, while she was in France with her mother. 

Clarke was so devastated when the Canadian police informed her mother that Jake's case was being closed, without justice for her father's memory, that she vowed to do, whatever it took to bring his murder to light, and especially who was behind it.

Clarke became some kind of a skilled private detective. Although she was only devoted to the case of her father, of whom she had discovered secrets that she never thought she would find about that man she had loved so much, and whom she had admired all her life. 

They weren't dark and dirty secrets, but unfortunately, she had discovered certain cases her father had worked on. They were members of a criminal gang with international contacts within the mafia. Clarke soon deduced that perhaps discovering certain information that he shouldn't have, or perhaps Jake was thinking of bringing the mafia to justice, had cost him his life.

Slowly over the years, Clarke, following clues and information she found everywhere, was unraveling a large international criminal organization, which encompassed too much to be brought down quickly. She knew right away it was going to take a long time, although she didn't care how long it took, she was willing to do it.

Twelve years ago to be exact, her father Jake had been murdered, and she still couldn't find the leader of the huge criminal gang, which was operating in several countries in Europe, and obviously in the United States and Canada as well. Now she was very close to achieving it, of finding the head of the international mafia, or almost the one related to her father's death. Because she was sure that was not only one leader in that organization, but probably some others in the different countries. 

But before, like every summer, she had secluded herself in the mountains once more, with her old friends from the wolf pack. Zen was now an adult and Alpha male of the pack, after the death of his father, he was a proud father of five mischievous and beautiful cubs, who Clarke loved meeting. Now, running there once more with the pack, she felt happy, as she always did, feeling that she was part of them, of that wild and magnificent life and freedom. 

She had almost managed to reach the lake first, when Zen came forward, as usual, reaching the shore, stopping his run almost in her tracks, before even getting the tips of his big legs wet, and, first, wagging his tail as if making fun of her.

Clarke shook her head, cursing him, and continued running and dived into the lake, hoping what never happened would, and that Zen would follow her into the lake, or one of the pack. But none dared to swim in the still quite cold waters, as she did. They stood on the shore watching her, howling, agitated and amused, waiting for her to come out. While she called them cowardly little chickens, once she emerged from the waters.

Clarke was preparing for what was to come in her life, finally doing justice to her father's memory, exposing one of the leaders of that huge international mob, the one related to her father's death. She had managed to find out who had given the order to eliminate the Canadian lawyer, Jake Cotter, and she didn’t know if she would make it out of it alive. 

So she just enjoyed that time with the pack, and especially with her old friend and brother Zen. She knew well that even if she survived her very risky and lonely mission of revenge and justice, the Alpha male of the pack would probably no longer be there to greet her the following year. But she didn't want to think about it this summer, not during her time of happiness and freedom with them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters mentioned in this Chapter 2:
> 
> Pianist Alexandra (Lexa) Woods - Alycia Debnam-Carey  
> Manager Anya Forrest: Dichen Lachman  
> Model Octavia Woods: Marie Avgeropoulos  
> Lawyer Bellamy Woods: Bob Morley  
> Titus Woods: Neil Sandilands  
> Psychologist Madison Clark: Kim Dickens  
> Housekeeper Bly Manor Indra Trikru: Adina Porter  
> Doctor Rebecca Pramheda: Erica Cerra  
> Actress-model Aurora Blake: Monique Ganderton  
> Costia Webster: Lili Reinhart  
> Ontari Bennet: Rhiannon Fish  
> Bodyguard Lorraine Broughton : Charlize Theron

[](https://gifyu.com/image/0zQN)

The famous pianist finished interpreting the last song of her repertoire, for her concert in the city of Vienna, which had been completely sold out months ago. In the last couple of years, she had become one of the most famous and talented contemporary pianists.

After finishing, the place erupted with fervor, as the audience rose to their feet to celebrate the talented and young artist of British origin. At 23 years of age, Alexandra Woods filled theaters around the world, but she didn’t seem to care too much about her enormous popularity. She just enjoyed playing the piano, which she learned to feel and play since she was four years old.

Alexandra, or Lexa, as her few friends and family called her, practically only communicated through this wonderful instrument. She was a young woman of very few words and had almost zero social life. If she was not on tour, performing on various world stages, she would take refuge in Bly Manor, one of the Woods's mansion, placed on the outskirts of the city of London. Where she limited herself to practicing daily, and also writing secretly, which was her other vocation, although she had not made it public, not even her family knew about it.

Alexandra’s growing popularity in the last couple of years led her to attract all kinds of audiences and people. Her manager and cousin, Anya Forrest, had been in charge of creating accounts on various social networks, as most artists and celebrities do today, to promote her image and her work. But Lexa wasn’t at all interested in it. So she left the handling of them to Anya, to keep contact with her millions of fans around the world.

That night in the city of Vienna, precisely in that wonderful theater where her concert was taking place, there was extra security. In recent months she had begun to receive some correspondence, that seemed to point to some kind of an obsessive fan of the pianist. 

Letters where they expressed their enormous love and dedication, and although today, that was very common from fans to their idols. Anya suspected that this person, male or female, was more than just a fan in love with her cousin. He identified himself as a man since he signed as "J.a.s.o.n.", but Anya couldn't trust him/her. So she had arranged extra security for her cousin, who had no idea. Lexa left the whole issue of safety and fans to her manager and cousin, because she was honestly not interested in connecting with anyone.

After the applause, the pianist came out two more times, interpreting extra works, as magnificent as the whole concert. Amid the final ovation, a bouquet of red roses was thrown at her, something not very common in that kind of classical music concert. 

But without giving too much importance to the fact, Lexa picked up the beautiful bouquet of beautiful red roses next to the attached card, and after making one last bow to the audience and the orchestra, which had accompanied her during the concert, she left the stage from the sides.

Anya immediately found her cousin behind the red velvet curtains, which began to move towards the center, trying to take that bouquet from her hands, but Lexa, for some reason refused to the surprise of her manager.

\- Don't be silly, Lex, I need to check those flowers and you know it.

\- I said no Anya. They are just some flowers... Not a package with a bomb inside... They are really beautiful, and they smell... Hmm... exquisite.

\- Heavens, sometimes you are impossible! Ok, let's go.

When they got to the dressing room, Anya left Lexa alone to relax, and wipe the moistened makeup from her face, and change her clothes. She always did it after her concerts, she hated to leave the theaters in sweaty clothes. She poured herself a glass of water, which Anya always left ready for her, she drank with pleasure. 

Those concerts always dehydrated her too much, since her entire passion in the interpretation of each work, made her body temperature rise almost immediately, as if she were going to the gym. 

Then she took a green apple, those very acidic ones that she had always liked, from the bowl that contained different fresh fruits. A detail that Anya knew well that Alexandra must have at her disposal in the dressing room of the places where she performed.

After cleaning herself and changing her clothes, she sat in front of the illuminated mirror, to proceed to remove her makeup. She was not very fond of makeup, but she knew that she had to wear it for her performances. Although she was normally done by Mary, her makeup artist, she used to remove it herself. 

Since the whole process of coming down from that adrenaline high from the stage, she always wanted to do it in complete solitude when she returned to her dressing room. That's why even Anya wasn't allowed to stay and try to help her.

When she was about to start removing her makeup, she looked at the beautiful bouquet of roses, remembering that she should put them in water, if she wanted to take them with her to the hotel where she was staying that night. 

She stood up and looked around for a vase to put them in. Until she finally found one, somewhat dusty, but it would do for the moment. Alexandra filled it with water in the private bathroom that the dressing room had, and returned to put the flowers in it. 

After opening the red silk ribbon that held the flowers, she placed them in the vase one by one, after smelling them smiling, since if there was something she adored it was the perfume of fresh flowers, especially red roses like these. 

But in the middle of her work, a small card fell to the ground, presumably hidden in the bouquet. She bent down to pick it up and when she read it, her eyes widened terrified. 

“Your days are numbered, you fucking bitch. You will not continue to ignore or block me on the networks.  
J.a.s.o.n."

She dropped the card that fell back to the ground, and threw the vase with the flowers against a wall with all her might, causing it to shatter, breaking into a thousand pieces and the flowers fall everywhere, producing a loud crash.

Anya immediately entered the dressing room without calling out to Lexa, after hearing a loud noise from inside. The manager found her cousin in a state of almost hyperventilating, holding her chest as if she wanted to breathe but she didn't seem to be able to. Anya ran to her side and began to help her, but remembered that she couldn't touch her or it would be much worse.

Her famous pianist cousin used to put herself in that state from little things, she was someone very sensitive, and she suffered from what is known as Hafephobia, which is the irrational fear of physical contact with other people. 

For that reason, she didn’t like to be extremely close to fans or journalists. But Anya couldn't understand what had happened to find her in that state, when she'd been alone in the dressing room.

After several minutes in which Anya finally managed to help her calm down, she made her sit on the sofa next to her, while also getting her a glass of water for her to drink and relax.

\- Okay, you're fine Lex…. Now can you tell me what the hell has happened to you?

\- The… The…. note…

\- Note? What are you talking about? What note? - Lexa still struggled to speak, and Anya didn't understand anything, although she did her best.

The young pianist with somewhat trembling hands indicated where the ill-fated note was, which she found attached to the bouquet. Anya didn't waste a second and went to pick up that little note. 

When she read it, she closed her eyes tightly, cursing the four winds. She knew that this would happen sooner or later. That damn bastard "Jason", or whoever the hell he/she was, had accomplished what she had been trying to avoid happening to her cousin.

“Jason’s” letters were not long love letters full of passion and infinite devotion, they were a clear and direct life threat. The obsessed fan was frustrated or probably hurt, due to the complete ignorance of his/her emails and comments on social networks, since Anya had not responded. 

Also, after discovering some strangers responses from him to some posts on the Instagram and Twitter accounts, Anya had blocked the person on both. Surely that would have led the stalker to go from love to hate, which was so common when they feel rejected, or as in this case, ignored and blocked.

But Anya never imagined that he would be someone to consider a threat to Lexa, at least not so seriously. Although she had already contacted a professional bodyguard with extensive experience so that she would be part of the group, for the rest of the tour that the pianist still had to complete. A bodyguard who would be in charge not only of the personal security of the famous pianist, but of the rest of the security people who accompanied them.

The chosen one, the one recommended by a good friend of hers who worked at Scotland Yard, was a woman, of British origin, like them, with a vast military career, now working for some years as personal security, named Lorraine Broughton. 

Anya had faith that this woman would help them with the security issue, and with the growing fame of her cousin Lexa, the people who came to greet her were more and more worrying. And now, reading that damn note from that stalker, she hadn't been wrong. 

She congratulated herself for always being attentive to what might happen. But that damn detail of some flowers thrown on the stage, she had not thought of, and she hated that fact. Although, if she had to be honest, who the hell would suspect a beautiful bouquet?

\- Motherfucker! - Anya only expressed very angrily with herself, for not foreseeing that intelligent movement of the stalker.

\- Who…? Who is Anie? Is it someone who has been bothering you or me…?

\- He's a fucking bastard that I’ve already blacklisted. Don't worry Lex, I'll take care of this myself. And please don't ever pick up anything that's thrown at you on stage again. Is it clear? Nothing! Not even the fucking flowers that you like so much... SHIT! It annoys me not to have prevented this! In Paris, we are going to meet the new personal bodyguard, the woman that Roger, my good friend from Scotland Yard, has recommended to me. Lorraine Broughton, she is going to be your personal bodyguard and also is going to help this kind of thing not happen again.

The still affected young pianist just nodded her head. In part, she hated not knowing what the hell was going on behind her back, or what things Anya was handling, especially with people, fans, journalists, everyone who was interested in her talent. But immediately she remember, that had been the initial agreement with her manager from the beginning, when she refused to have anything to do with the security, the details of the concerts, and the social media accounts that her cousin had advised her to open. Now she partly regretted it, because if there was a crazy stalker behind her, she wanted to know, needed to know, to know him, to be in control and feel more secure.

Lexa was also not very pleased about having a personal bodyguard, who would be with her constantly, and telling her what she can and cannot do. Sometimes those security people are a case, that to protect the client, they make them feel like they are in a prison twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 

She knew that very well from her own father and his bodyguard, witnesses sometimes, her father, Titus, fighting with that man, for his space and freedom, because he became his shadow at all times. And Lexa loved her freedom quite a bit, and outside of Anya, no one knew how to handle her, or respect her personal space and times. Or understand her phobias, which she struggled with daily since they had slowly developed, more so as she entered puberty.

Lexa pondered her stupid initial decision not to want to be involved in her security. So that same night, in the hotel suite where she was staying, she made the new decision to stop being the little girl hidden in the glass box, or that spoiled rich child. 

She was a grown woman, who had been in therapy with her psychologist Madison Clark, working hard on her phobias, and had made tremendous progress. And although social life wasn’t her strong point, as was her older sister Octavia, who was a famous model, she needed to be aware of what was happening around her. Especially with the people who idolized her, her many, many fans around the world. So Lexa decided to at least start by being more aware of her social media accounts, that Anya had graciously taken care of from the start.

Lexa needed to feel in control for once, and not let Anya do everything for her anymore. So, at three in the morning, she called her cousin to come to see her in her suite. After growling and cursing her a lot, Anya came up to see her and listened carefully to her new resolutions.

Anya, after making a huge effort to wake up and pay attention to her cousin's new decisions, which in part surprised her, tried to convince her that there was no point in her suddenly wanting to take control of everything, since there were many things that she had no idea. But the pianist begged her to teach her, and to let her take control of at least simple things, like managing her social media accounts. Even when Lexa really knew how, because she used internet to share her writings in a place call Wattpad, under a nickname. But that was her huge secret, one hidden even from her beloved cousin and manager.

Anya didn't think it was the best time for Lexa to take control over her social media accounts, especially after that note from a deranged madman who was after Lexa. But she understood that this raised certain questions in the brilliant mind of the pianist. 

After all, she was already an adult, she wasn’t the child prodigy who secluded herself in her world. One that barely said a word, causing her father to think that she had some kind of mental problem such as Autism, despite her enormous talent and intelligence.

Anya was the only one who managed to connect with Lexa, understood her, respected her, and protected her against everything and everyone, even many times against her own father Titus. Her uncle could sometimes be an idiot, demanding of his youngest daughter things that he knew well she wasn’t capable of doing. 

Titus required her talented daughter to do private concerts, and to be constantly at his damn parties, to introduce her to his rich, powerful influence buddies, as if she were his most precious treasure. Also, because Lexa was the only one who had stayed to live in that family residence, which was also a country house, which she truly adored.

The residence was called Bly Manor, located in the town of Blyborough, in the county of Lincolnshire, three hours' drive north of the city of London. The Woods family was one of the most recognized and millionaires in the kingdom, and consequently owned several residences, not only in England but in others countries around the world. 

But Bly Manor was undoubtedly Lexa's favorite, as well as having grown up there with her two siblings. It was a mansion where her father also generally resided when he was not traveling.

Lexa’s older siblings, Bellamy, was a lawyer, and the personal manager of his other sister Octavia, the famous model. Both had left their parental home long ago. But Lexa didn't feel the need to leave Bly Manor, despite being an adult. It was like she felt protected there, it was her home, and she loved the surroundings so rural, surrounded by nature, without the annoying noise of traffic, or thousands of people walking everywhere. 

She loved the silence, the freedom she felt in that huge place. Furthermore, the few staff who worked at the mansion had known Lexa for as long as they could remember, always feeling comfortable with them. And the fact that that few staff knew her very well, and knew about her problems, her phobias, always respecting her person and her space.

Luckily for the pianist, her father traveled more and more, and she hardly saw him during the year. Since her world tours had become more and more frequent and extensive, which meant that she couldn’t spend much time in Blyborough, so they couldn't see each other so often anymore. 

She love him and miss him, but in the last years she was also taking a little distance from her father. He was a man very cold, and very ambitious, caring too much about his business more than his family. She also sometimes felt like he was using her to please his friends in those damn parties at Bly Manor, friends that she really hate very much. 

Those men were always looking at her with hungry lascivious eyes, making her felt so uncomfortable at all times. But when she confronted her father about it, he was ignored her completely, like he really didn’t care how she felt or the fact that those men were so rude with her. So slowly Lexa was feeling more and more far away from her father, and don't miss him that much.

For her part, Anya could feel and see that her cousin was a little tired from those continuous trips and concerts, tired of the fame itself. So after finishing that new world tour, Anya had proposed to Lexa to take a sabbatical year, to relax as she wished. 

Anya proposed to her cousin maybe record a new album, or just stay at the Bly Manor residence, doing nothing. Out of the public eye, the stage, the fans, and journalists. And Lexa had no doubts in accepting that proposal, she adored when Anya proposed it to her. As well as thanking her enormously that she always thought of her mental well-being, more than her successful career as a pianist.

Now, Anya didn't agree about handing over the management of social media to her cousin. But she knew the time had come to delegate some things to Lexa. She finally felt that perhaps giving her access to her Instagram account was enough to get started. The pianist agreed to start slowly, while Anya still controlled other accounts closely. Especially now, that they had a serious problem with that stalker named "Jason".

Anya had already increased the number of security guards, in addition to the inclusion of that woman who would be her cousin's bodyguard, for what was left of the rest of the world tour, who they would meet in Paris. Luckily there were not many concerts left. Only seven and then Lexa would go home for a year. The concerts that were left, one was right there in Vienna, Austria, two in Paris, France, one in Milan, Italy, two in New York, United States, and the last one in Vancouver, Canada.

What no one knew about the pianist, not even her beloved cousin Anya, was that she was secretly a popular online writer named "Heda." Her stories were mostly of a romantic lesbian drama genre. Although they were very entertaining and had a bit of everything. In a short time, almost without realizing it, her stories had become as popular as her piano playing. But the fact that Lexa didn’t publish her works, or sell them, but uploaded them to a website called Wattpad, where readers had access to them for free, helped her remain anonymous behind Heda.

The pianist had never related to anyone in real life, male or female, although she knew for a fact that she was attracted to women. And she had memories of falling madly in love with some young women, secretly during her teens, even though she never made it to first base. 

She had never declared herself to any of them, expressing her feelings, much less had she even kissed them on the lips. But God knows how much she fantasized about doing it one day. Lexa had shared with her cousin Anya the fact that she was attracted to women, but also asked her to keep the secret for her since she didn’t want her father to find out. 

Lexa knew well that Titus didn’t accept homosexuality, and he already had to deal with the case of her older sister Octavia, the model, who was an outspoken bisexual. The fights between her father and Octavia sometimes were really horrible. 

And even though her sister didn’t was very attached to her father, she could see how much Titus hurt Octavia, with his homophobia. When he was telling her that he was shame on her, and that she must keep away from him. Lexa was glad that Octavia almost have Bellamy, their big brother to help her to overcome that hate from their father, make her felt loving, and keep her safe, not only in her model career but also in her personal life.

Lexa preferred to keep her privacy under several locks, not out of fear of facing her father or the public eye. But because she wanted her private life and her sexual preferences to be known only by herself, and with whom she wanted to share it, in this case only for the moment with her cousin Anya and her best friend Costia. 

Although she knew that her sister Octavia was suspicious of her homosexuality, because she had sometimes gazed intently at some women, in that special way. But Lexa always denied it, besides the fact that she was a virgin, other thing that Octavia always had against her. 

Her sister always was shocked with the incredible fact that she still maintained her chastity at 23, and advised her that she would have to lose her virginity. According to Octavia's opinion, that would help her with her phobias, and it would grow up a little too. Of course Lexa disagreed, although it was not that she believed in the celibacy of marriage. Those things didn't suit her one bit.

Lexa saw marriage as something more like a legal union of assets, than anything else. More than consolidating the relationship between two people, or making the love that they professed legal. She was not against it either, she simply didn’t believe that marrying in any religion was an important part of the life of a stable couple. If there was true love between two beings, it was enough for her.

Lexa’s novels were characterized by sensuality, and she did that by watching many movies, series, and also some porn, just to give her ideas on how to develop the sexual scenes in her stories. And she couldn't deny that sometimes she wanted to try it on her own body. 

At the same time, the damn ghost of her stranger phobia, of being touched by others appeared, leading her to wonder if one day she would manage to overcome it. She wanted to have a normal life, she want to fall in love, and have a normal relationship with some woman some blessed day. 

But her phobia made that seem an impossible dream, or wish, for which she worked towards daily, and weekly with her psychologist Dr. Madison Clark. Lexa had started to work with Dr. Clark when she was a teenager, so they had known each other for several years, and she had made a big breakthrough, but she still lacked progress in other areas related to her phobia.

During her school days, Lexa had always been quite lonely and not very communicative, sometimes being the center of jokes and various evils from her classmates. But luckily Anya and her best friend Costia they were always there to defend her, even though they both were in higher grades. 

Her cousin Anya was always attentive to protect her at the boarding school they attended in Switzerland, along with her best friend Costia, and older sister Octavia, who also sometimes helped with the ones that bothered her, but not as much as Anya and Costia did. 

But the day her cousin and Costia finished school, things turned very dark for Lexa, to the point that her father had to withdraw her from boarding school and take her home, where she received private tutoring.

From those years of school, Lexa’s bond with Anya was strengthened and she was close to her cousin, who had studied for a degree in business administration and management. She went on to work with her when Lexa began to become famous, becoming not only her manager but to be her right-hand person.

Now Lexa was at that point where she had to leave that lair, where she had taken refuge for most of her life, behind her cousin, and face the world. The world that always seemed terrifying and immense to her, that many times seemed to drown her.

From a very young age, it had been difficult for Lexa to relate to people, to be in places where there were many, or to simply speak in class when teachers asked her to do it with her homework. She wanted to be alone all the time, to get lost in her fantasy world, the one she created in her mind. Hence she was writing stories at a young age like eight years old. When she wrote her first story, as a school assignment for which she received a lot of praise from her teachers, who were surprised at the quality of the story even so small.

But it was thanks to that fantasy world where Lexa took refuge from the world around her. In all those stories that were familiar to her, since she learned to read and write. 

They seemed to come to her mind naturally, as well as the pleasure it gave her to sit in front of the grand piano and play the famous pieces of the great composers without problems. 

Without knowing why of those two talents she possessed, she decided that writing was a secret one for her, continuing to use it as an escape from reality. It was very therapeutic for Lexa.

Lexa talked a lot with Anya that night, and they agreed on the next steps to follow and how they would be carried out. In the security part, the older woman reminded her that in Paris they would meet the woman who would be her bodyguard. Lorraine would be with her all the time. Although the young pianist didn’t much like walking with a shadow behind her all the time.

But after that threat and Anya telling Lexa about that supposed "Jason". A clear stalker, or obsessed fan, who had been hanging around for a while, leaving strange comments on Instagram and Twitter posts. As well as sending her long letters full of passion and admiration, which Lexa immediately asked her to show her, so she could read them, despite Anya's denial at first.

The pianist wanted to read them, to decode the personality of that person obsessed with her. It was a way to feel a little more secure, if she deciphered the person, she got to know him/her, not in person, but the personality, somehow it was as if she took control over it, and stopped being terrified of the person.

The next night Lexa had another concert, but that night she couldn't sleep, so she stayed up studying those few letters and notes, as well as some comments he/she had left on some photos on her Instagram account. 

Anya was somewhat surprised that Lexa wanted to do this, to study her stalker, to try to reveal his/her personality. But she knew that opposing it was useless, when her young cousin decided or wanted something she just did it.

Lexa spent the rest of the night and early morning reading those messages and letters. It was like having a puzzle in front of her, one at whatever cost she would figure it out, and she would know how to handle that person, or at least stop being afraid of him/her, and know how to handle it. She studied every word he/she wrote, as he/she did, his/her calligraphy, as he/she wrote the letters and notes by hand, and it was clearly from a left-handed person.

Lexa had studied a lot about personalities, without anyone knowing, had done a master's degree in psychology online, and knew a lot about mental disorders. She had done it by seeking answers about her strange personality, compared to most human beings. 

She wanna know more about her phobias, and why it was so hard for her to socialize with others, why she felt so naked in front of other people, so exposed. And that damn fear that invaded her many times making her act quite out of the ordinary, and that people looked at her as if trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with her.

There was also something strange, after Heda's pseudonym, she transformed into another person. She was not afraid to communicate with her readers, with some she even had some lively talks talking about things that were currently happening in the world. Some political issues, the deterioration of the world climate, and others. 

Lexa liked interacting with people through her author pseudonym, it was like having a split personality. But she was sure she wasn't a bipolar person. Was just the meaning of feeling more secure behind a pseudonym, than being herself, the famous pianist Alexandra Woods.

Although Lexa also protected herself from exposing herself too much, she always kept her distance from those who tried to learn more about her. She never disclosed any details of herself or even her age. She warned her readers that she was a very private and reserved person, and not to try to know more than she was offering them about her personal information, which was nearly nothing. Just her opinion on some general topics, and mostly answered questions related to her stories.

From time to time, Lexa wondered why she was still keeping this a secret, especially from her beloved cousin Anya. Why she had never told her about Heda? But she never found the right answer, she simply kept it exclusively for herself. That pleasure of becoming someone different, behind the screen of her computer or tablet.

Sometimes, just sometimes, Lexa envied her older sister Octavia's outgoing personality. The famous supermodel who had millions of followers on the networks. Who was the immaculate face of the most expensive and famous brands, with its various products of beauties, perfumes, clothes, and jewelry. 

Her sister's personality was so different from hers, like night and day. Octavia Woods was so talkative, funny, charming, outspoken, and without a doubt crazy too. Her sister had no limits, and she lived life as if she were going to die the next day. Besides, not giving a damn about public opinion or what others think of her. She had a strong temperament, an ambitious and successful mind, coupled with self-confidence that was truly enviable.

Octavia Marie Woods had a very busy life, and her life was lived to the extreme of everything. She was very famous, as much or the same as Lexa was, but with a much more varied audience, one could say. She always smiled, she loved being around many people, feeling idolized, loved, revered like a queen. 

She was going from party to party, to fashion shows, and photoshoots for the most important and popular magazines around the world. Her face was on the cover of the world's best-known fashion magazines, as well as on billboards for beauty salons in shopping malls, and buildings in world capitals, and her days were practically crazy all the time. 

Between trips across the world on airplanes, or traveling alone in limousines, and living most of the time in luxury hotels. Their older brother, Bellamy, was her manager, and her protector too, although that was not a very easy task for the man. He spent most of his time arguing with his younger sister, trying to ensure that the model was on time and in its commitments.

So then came, Alexandra Victoria Woods, the famous pianist, secluded in her world, totally introverted, much more serious all the time. Away from the masses, reserved and fearful of closed and small places like elevators, or small rooms. 

Lexa always needed large windows that she could open, feel the fresh air, or balconies. And never could be surrounded by more than five to ten people, who were not close to her, or even dared to be touched.

At her concerts, yes, there was always a large audience, but they were far from her, and that space that Lexa always tried to make the most of, between the stage and the front row was enough for her not to feel upset. The same with an orchestra if she needed to play with one. The other musicians will seat a certain distance of her and her piano. Alexandra Woods will never play in small stages, where that good distance from the rest of her music colleagues will no be possible.

Anya was always in charge of coordinating with the theater owners, so that the first two rows were not sold, thus leaving a wider space between the audience and the pianist. Some owners were angry at such a fact, due to the loss of sales. To top it off they were the most expensive rows, but the representative curbed the expenses of those first two rows without problems, if the owners of the theaters were really too angry or in disagreement.

Lexa also didn't like anyone, that wasn’t family or very close friends, putting a hand on her, hugging, kissing. Or even shaking hands, when she was introduce to some stranger persons, that should not be for more than two seconds. 

She had worked hard with her psychologist Dr. Clark, so that she could get through that moment of having to shake hands, when she met certain people in different places in the world. 

In other words, Lexa’s case was something like, look at me but don't you dare come closer or even touch me. Talk to me but at a certain distance. Never invade my personal space. And don't expect to have a long chat with her, Lexa always answered short and simple, not giving possibility of long talks on any matters. Especially when people was stranger for her.

Lexa also liked to observe people, study them, decipher them as she said, to herself. Her gaze was very intense, and she sometimes intimidated people without actually meaning to. She knew the power she had with her big green eyes, and how much she expressed in them. 

It always crossed Lexa’s mind that if people took the time to watch her eyes closely, they might understand her a little better. Her cousin Anya knew her better than anyone and could read her eyes almost perfectly. And the other person was Octavia, her sister. 

That was because her sibling was always very good to read people, maybe practicing her whole life with her, or just natural, but Octavia could see her two seconds and understand what was going on with her. Also Octavia had always a very strong love and attach to her, that make Lexa smile. Despite the huge different between them in their personalities, the love of her big sister was without doubt a nice warm feeling, that made the pianist feel loved and happy, and she was very grateful to have her in her life. As well as her cousin Anya, and also her big brother Bellamy, even when with him her relationship was a little more distance. 

They were her family, her close ones, her love ones. The ones she trust with her life, the ones that was allow to hugs her, kiss her, and keep in the room with her. She will also do anything for them, if it was necessary, of course. And even she somehow still included her father, as her family and love one, because she love him. She knew that her relationship with Titus, was more and more cold and distance.

Those days Lexa was also somewhat stressed, since when she arrived in New York she would meet her sister Octavia. It had been a long time since she had seen her older sister, and Octavia had told Lexa in her last messages and video calls, that she wanted to see her when she was in the big apple(NY). 

That meant clearly for Lexa, that she was going to do it at one of those crazy fucking parties, her sister always threw with her millions of friends, and Lexa wasn't up to it. Just thinking about it, made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

But at the same time, Lexa couldn't say no to her sister, the model loved her very much, as her sister also did reciprocally. Even though they were like fire and ice, Octavia always made an enormous effort to put their differences aside, to spend quality time with her. 

Lexa would also see her older brother Bellamy, who hadn't seen her for a long time. Although the three kept in contact via phone or video calls. The big siblings where having problems to see each other with their little genius talented sister in person, lately. 

So the incredible coincidence in New York, of Octavia making a photoshoot for the american version, of the Elle magazine, with the famous photographer Raven Reyes, with the two concerts Lexa was playing in the city, for her worldwide tour, was a great opportunity to meet all of them again.

The person that Lexa was rarely seen with was her father, Titus. He was a very busy man, always flying to some part of the world, attending to his business, especially in the last years, where his trips and business matters took practically over his life, keep him away from his family. 

Titus Woods, being the owner and CEO of one of the most famous technology and cyber companies, his life unfolded in offices, meetings, and luxury hotels, something similar to the life of his daughter Octavia and also Lexa's. 

The man rarely met with his family, and if he did it was only in cases of the occasional Christmas, or when he held parties with his fellow entrepreneurs or investors, at the London mansion, or the Bly Manor country house.

Titus Woods had been married twice. His first marriage had ended in a divorce from Canadian actress and model Aurora Blake, after discovering her infidelity with one of her partners. Although it couldn’t be said that he was very faithful to his marriage. Having several lovers here and there, but they were paid women, who only served him to satisfy his physical needs, during his many business trips. Leaving his wife alone for too long, had led her to turn to other men, and Marcus Kane, one of his closest associates, was the one who provided her missing companionship in bed.

From that failed first marriage, Bellamy and Octavia had been born. And when Octavia was barely a year old, Titus and Aurora had divorced. The woman at first took her children with her to Canada, to live in the city of Montreal, where she was from, along with her family. But after fighting in court for a long time, Titus got shared custody of his children, when Octavia was five years old, and Bellamy eight.

In those years, Titus had remarried, this time to an aristocratic American-born doctor named Rebecca Pramheda. From their union, and after a long treatment of fertility, since Dr. Pramheda couldn’t carry the pregnancies to full term, Alexandra Victoria Woods was born. Finally, the miracle occurred and the little baby girl, with big green eyes, saw the light of life on the first of July. 

Baby Alexandra, or Lexa, that is how Octavia, with only three years old, called her little sister, the first moment she met her, soon became Titus's favorite daughter. Since, in some way, he felt very close to Lexa, more than her other two children. Perhaps because of their remoteness, they had led the man to become more fond of his youngest daughter.

But Titus would not enjoy much of that new family life with his pretty young wife Rebecca, and all his children. Doctor Pramheda tragically lost her life in a plane crash, when Lexa was just two years old. 

The accident occurred under rather strange circumstances. The small aircraft was flying from Paris to London, when suddenly it was lost in the middle of the English Channel between the two countries. The next day the coast guard found the wreckage of the aircraft, recovering four of its six occupants. 

The two bodies not found were a security member who was traveling with the doctor, and the doctor’s personal secretary. Along with the body of Dr. Pramheda, the bodies of the pilot, copilot, and the passenger had all been recovered.

Titus knew that the accident that had cost his young wife's life, had not been a mere accident, but a clear warning, because not all the businesses he had were legal. So the first thing he did was collect his children, Bellamy and Octavia, who were still in Canada with their mother, he confined them to a exclusive private boarding school.

The school where In a remote area in Switzerland, where they were guarded twenty-four hours a day until they grew up. Little Lexa will follow after pass three years, join them, when she was five years old. In the meanwhile she was baby care by Indra, a woman that was also the housekeeper of the mansion. And protected by Titus, he father, and a security team during those three years at the Bly Manor mansion.

When the siblings Woods came of age of eighteen and left the boarding school, Titus couldn’t help, but protect them from a distance. Always warning them to have extra security in their lives for logical reasons, being the children of who they were. There were always people willing to want to harm them. Especially his two daughters, who were quite famous.

Bellamy had studied law, having graduated from Oxford University, but instead of working as a lawyer, he became the manager of his young sister Octavia, the model and actress like her mother, who had already retired from the artistic environment. 

Octavia, for her part, had not pursued any college career, since she was a teenager she had ventured into the world of fashion, with the help of her mother and those contacts she had. 

Then there was little Lexa, who was three years younger than Octavia, and six years younger than her brother Bellamy. The talented youngest of the Woods's siblings, had studied literature at the University of Oxford, online. She couldn't attended these crowded rooms with so many other students, in the prestigious University like her brother, so for her special mental condition, she was allowed to study via online. 

But her career was interrupted by her enormous talent for the piano, after transforming from a very young age, into one of those prodigy pianists. Although she tried to pursue that University career, at a certain point it was impossible for her to concentrate on her studies, and constantly travel the world doing concerts. 

So she limited himself to studying different careers online, but in a somewhat freer way, and more relaxing. Some known to her father, others not, like those masters in psychology. Lexa possessed, like her deceased mother Becca, a brilliant mind, and a very high IQ.

But also, from a very young age, her father noticed that something was not right with his youngest daughter. That distance she put between herself and others, even her own family in a very stranger way, that he didn’t understand very well, but concern him a lot. 

Those huge silences, or those short and ephemeral responses, and always getting away from everyone, not wanting to have friends, or even being touched too much by her family members. Titus was terrified to think that his daughter Lexa had some kind of autism, at one point. 

So after performing many physical and psychological examinations, the professionals determined that Lexa simply suffered from an introverted personality, anxiety, and what is known as "Hafephobia", which is the irrational fear of being touched, in addition to a general social phobia.

Haphephobics suffer serious social problems since they fear interaction with other individuals, in case they can come into contact with them. Therefore, a simple greeting or hugging their parents or spouses turns into a situation that produces intense feelings of fear and anxiety. These people can constantly avoid situations in which they can come into contact with others, even acquaintances.

After Lexa learned of her diagnosis from the specialists, she continued to investigate the subject, despite being in constant therapy and professional help. Dr. Clark had finally been the best therapist for Lexa after going through several professionals, who were not the right ones to help her. 

She had been working with the psychologist Clark for about five years now, and that had helped her make great progress, such as being able to attend a crowded event very occasionally and to be able to relate better with her family.

Her relatives knew Lexa’s problems, and somehow they didn’t stress her by pressing her with anything. Although sometimes her sister Octavia did, but in the best way. Lexa understood that her sister tried to do it from her affection and concern, but it didn’t always achieve the expected effect, and many times they ended up arguing. Or simply with the famous pianist shutting herself up in her silence, and leaving wherever they were, slamming the door, and not talking to her sister for a certain period. 

Bellamy always tried to intervene in those conflicts between his sisters, usually managing to help them. His stance was somewhat more mediative, he simply respected how his sister Lexa felt all the time, and he never pressured her to meet him in the middle of an event, or party, as Octavia did many times. Bellamy limited himself to meeting his sister Lexa in private, when their locations in the world coincided, having a coffee or tea, in the case of the young pianist, and catching up on their lives, but nothing more.

Lexa always felt the lack of a mother in her life, although the housekeeper of the Bly Manor country house, Indra, had made enough of that motherly image most of her life. Although let's say that the woman was not the most affectionate that could be said. And contrary to what many would think, for Lexa, it was simply perfect, since the affection between them was expressed in other ways than the physical.

In her memory, Indra had hugged her a very few times, in extreme cases. But she had always been an excellent companion and exceptional helper, good at reading her humor and her gaze, speaking little like her but just and necessary. Keeping her up to date with her schedule and keeping all her things on point, tell her her clothes, her thermal baths, her meditation and yoga classes, as well as her physical training classes, and her therapy sessions with psychologist Clark. And not least her very interesting chess championships, where theit victories were quite evenly matched, although Lexa had a slight advantage in numbers of victories.

Lexa was also a lover of flowers and gardening, so sometimes she liked to spend some free time in the huge garden of the residence, together with the gardener John Bennet, and his daughter Ontari, who was a kind of good friend of Lexa, although they weren't very close. Lexa could say that she had had a certain fascination with Ontari since she was little, but she could never define it exactly, so she kept her as an old friend.

Also, Lexa was almost convinced that Ontari was heterosexual since she had told her about some boyfriends she had had, or men that she liked. Ontari had never mentioned a woman, and that led Lexa to rule out any possibility with the gardener's daughter. Who by the way was very pretty and friendly, as well as good company when they arranged the huge garden with John.

The pianist's favorite flowers were roses, particularly red ones, but that was a detail that very few knew, like her family and the gardener and her daughter. And they had a vast cluster of huge red roses, which smelled magnificent in that expansive garden at Bly Manor country house. Roses that Indra was always in charge of cutting some, and putting them in a vase in her room. As well as in the living room where she practiced several hours a day, on the large black Steinway & Sons grand piano.

The public and Lexa’s fans had no idea that the pianist loved red roses. That was why Lexa had been surprised that this obsessed stalker gave her precisely that kind of red roses. The detail had undoubtedly sounded the alarm bells in her mind. Was the stalker someone close to her or her family? Or was it just a coincidence?

Lexa focused her attention on studying her stalker, and why he wanted to hurt her. What was his profile, and what did he want with all this. She was sure that she would unmask the subject, she didn’t even know if it was a man or a woman, although something told her it was a woman. It was a simple intuition rather than something Lexa saw in particular. It was the way he/she expressed him/herself in his/her letters, some small details that generally a man would not express or comment as that person did.

For the moment Lexa had that in mind, discovering her stalker, and the subject of the reunion in New York with her siblings. The Woods family owned a mansion on Long Island, in the Hamptons, and Lexa had already asked Octavia if they could together go there. Taking advantage of the fact that she would be in New York for a week, despite having only two concerts. 

After Bly Manor, Lexa liked that American mansion by the Atlantic Ocean. Also, she was a lover of the sea, and whenever she could she took long walks on the beach. The ocean had always given Lexa a sense of calm and a feeling of freedom, like those seagulls she always admired flying over the white waves.

Lexa’s model sister had accepted her request that their reunion happen at The Hamptons, and that had reassured the pianist a bit. Although being her sister, she didn’t trust her not to throw a party at the great Long Island mansion. Instead of her huge apartment in a modern building on New York's Fifth Avenue, where Octavia lived most of the year. 

She only prayed that Bellamy wouldn't let their sister throw a party with thousands of guests in The Hamptons Mansion, her brother usually put a stop to Octavia's crazy ideas, saving Lexa's anguish many times, and she hope this will be one of those.


	3. Chapter 3

[](https://gifyu.com/image/UTYR)

Three weeks later….

\- Hello precious! We have arrived! - the famous model Octavia Woods exclaimed with enthusiasm, as she made her entrance into the “Arcadia” studio of the photographer Raven Reyes.

\- Hello beautiful, it’s nice to meet you! - Raven pronounced smiling, approaching the model to greet her with two kisses.

\- Hello, I'm Bellamy Woods, it’s a pleasure Miss Reyes... - Octavia’s brother introduced himself, entering behind his sister, extending his hand towards the photographer Reyes, who watched them enter with a smile, but thinking to herself that the billionaires couldn't be more different. 

\- Oh no man, just Raven, I hate formalities! So hi Bellamy, the pleasure is all mine. And welcome to the Arcadia studio. I hope we will have a fun afternoon. Make yourself at home please... Clarke, my assistant today, is going to help you with whatever you need. CLARKE!

\- I… I heard you, Raven, I was finishing setting up the computer. Hey hi, I’m Clarke, it’s nice to meet you. Let me show you where you can change and leave your belongings.

\- Well, it's my pleasure, Clarke… I'm Bellamy, Octavia's older brother, and her manager. - Clarke extended her hand and shook the hand of the clear charming king, Bellamy Woods.

The oldest of the Woods seemed to be doing a toothpaste advertisement, or something similar, because he had a smile with bright white teeth that seemed frozen on his face. Along with a look that Clarke understood very well of “I wanna fuck you right now”. 

He was a conceited male, Clarke thought, smiling back at him, playing Bellamy’s seductive game a little. Clarke couldn't deny that the man was handsome, but he was a playboy. A one-night stand, but that didn't appeal to Clarke one bit. 

Although if she wanted to get what she wanted, she had to put on her best act and mask. The show had begun, for which she had worked so hard and prepared for. So Clarke just put on a seductive and innocent look on her face as she shook Bellamy's hand.

\- Hi, I'm the model… Octavia Woods… Okay, Bell, stop ogling her, will you? Be a little more polite brother. Excuse him, sometimes he’s too much... you know... Anyway... Men... Nice to meet you... Claire...? - But before the game of seduction continued with Clarke and Bellamy, Octavia came between her brother and the pretty blonde assistant.

Bellamy barely shifted to the side, glaring at Octavia in disgust, raising an eyebrow. His little sister could be quite the opponent when she put her mind to it. Her movements, and her damn comments, told him that Octavia was already in the process of fucking that blonde, and he cursed her. 

This time he would not lose the hunt, he promised himself mentally, watching as Octavia displayed all her seduction, in front of the beautiful assistant, who could be said was already somewhat suffocated between them. Bellamy partly felt some pity for the young woman in front of them, she was the new little fox without knowing it.

As soon as the blonde with the generous curves had made her appearance on the scene, Octavia had already had her eye on the blue-eyed beauty. The famous model smiled sarcastically observing her brother's movements, immediately thinking: "here we go again Bell...". Referring to that new hunt that she always undertook with her brother, when both came across a beautiful woman like that, who both of them liked. 

They got into a serious competition plan, to see who took her to bed first, they even kept an annual count. So far this year, Octavia had a two-fold lead. She knew that Bellamy would give everything in this hunt to stop being behind her. But the model had been impressed with the beauty of that woman, and didn’t intend to give her up for anything. Her brother could stay with the latin famous photographer, which would give her time alone with the beautiful assistant.

\- It's Clarke… And no problem… It's nice to meet you Octavia. I have heard of you or rather seen many magazines covers with your face on them. It's an honor to finally meet you in person, and let me tell you the photos don't do it justice… But let me show you where you can change. - Octavia smiled triumphantly, apparently, in front of her she had nothing less than a kind of admirer, and that gave her an advantage over her brother.

Meanwhile Bellamy, after hearing the comment of the curvy blonde assistant, delighting in meeting his little sister's famous face, fled the scene with somewhat reddish cheeks hating Octavia. She always made the best movements, and to top it off, she was playing the advantage of her fame and beauty, of course.

\- Well, since we have introduced ourselves… - Raven finally intervened, noticing the whole scene of the trio, which had nothing to do with the work they had to do there. - What do you think if we get to work? Octavia dear, Clarke and Harper, my other assistant and fashion expert, are going to show you the clothes from which you will have to choose three different ones. Gina, she's the makeup artist, and you'll be at her mercy in ten minutes. Bellamy, you can sit on that comfortable sofa, and help yourself to whatever you like from the kitchen behind there. You will find various drinks in the refrigerator and food on the counter. And sorry, but who is that giant there at the door? - Raven asked, somewhat disgusted with the strange man of almost six feet or more with a bushy beard, dressed in a suit, and with his hands joined in front of him.

\- Oh, it's Niko, O's bodyguard... - Bellamy simply clarified, glancing at the man, not giving much importance. Not so the photographer who didn’t want anyone else to be in the studio, outside of the model, her people, and manager.

\- Sorry Bellamy, but I don't want anyone else in the studio, other than my staff and the two of you. We can give him a chair and he can sit outside if you wish. Or wait at the reception where there is an armchair, and I can send him a coffee later. Octavia will be safe here, I give you my word. - Raven replied with her hands on her waist, waiting for Bellamy’s reply.

\- Fine, it’s no problem Raven. - Bellamy understood the photographer and approached Niko to give him the order to leave.

\- Ok my people… chop, chop…. - Raven ordered everyone, clapping - To work… Gina, my love, put on some music and move your pretties asses. Give me something latin girl. - Without any further delay, all the staff began to move, while in the studio the famous song "Despacito" began to be heard, and the photographer sang moving her hips, while she finished checking that the cameras, lights, and computer were ready, although she knew that her new assistant Clarke was very efficient and usually had everything ready.

Clarke Griffin had shown up at Raven's studio a month ago, after learning that she was looking for a new assistant. The photographer was already somewhat desperate because she couldn’t find a new assistant, after the departure of the pretty Luna Rivera. 

Raven made the mistake of maintaining a romantic relationship with her, and after ending the relationship, she also ended her work as an assistant, leaving Raven in the middle of many jobs, that she had already planned and scheduled. 

The candidates who had applied were lacking, inexperienced, and/or with that undercover fan look, that the latina photographer was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But suddenly came the pretty Canadian blonde with blue eyes like the sea, and that confident attitude, and also that she knew photography, and had a good experience. 

Clarke Griffin had been recommended to Raven by a good photographer friend, also of Canadian origin, Sinclair. The man told Raven that Clarke had worked with him for a while and she had been great.

Coming with references from none other than Sinclair, Raven had almost no doubts that the blonde might be the one. Almost immediately she knew it was the right one. After a few questions, they headed to the studio itself, and after asking the blonde to get the studio ready for a shoot. Raven was shocked to see that in 15 minutes everything was more than perfect. 

Griffin obviously knew what she was doing, and was also fast, efficient, and very nice too. Raven was so happy with Clarke that she hired her right away, and thanked her old friend Sinclair in Canada, sending him a nice box of chocolates, which Raven knew were his weakness.

So far, Raven had been more than happy with Clarke's efficiency, and also noted that the young woman knew a lot about photography, and she have talent. 

The Canadian new assistant told her that it had always been her great passion, and that one day she hoped to have her own studio. Raven had no doubts that this would be the case. That girl had a tremendous eye for the camera, and sometimes even asked her opinion in the final selection of some shots. 

She also liked that in sections of important photos with various celebrities, Clarke had behaved with incredible professionalism. She didn’t showed the slightest sign of being a secret admirer, or even being overwhelmed by the presence of those personalities from the music, fashion, and cinema world.

The only thing that caught Raven’s attention about Clarke was that she was rarely able to get any information from her about her family, or her life in her hometown Vancouver, in Canada, as well as her personal life. Also Clarke never accepted a night out to the clubs, that Raven sometimes frequented to relax from an exhausting week. 

What Raven did know miraculously was that Clarke was bisexual, from a brief chat they had one of the few times over coffee. It had been a day when Raven had been a bit discouraged, after the breakup with Luna, with whom she had fallen in love without realizing it. Raven only knew it, when she lost Luna, because she slept with someone else, while Luna was visiting her family in Dallas, Texas.

It was at one of those parties that celebrities sometimes hosted and invited her, where there was everything and for everything. Raven had been carried away by the hubbub, the good vibes of the party people and the alcohol. At one point she met a beautiful Russian model, whom she took to her apartment, and where they had a night of crazy lust and unbridled sex.

Everything would have gone well, if Luna had not returned a couple of days early to surprise her, since she had said that she missed her a lot. Luna was met with the unpleasant scene of seeing her partner in bed with a naked platinum blonde asleep next to her, barely covered by the sheet, and Raven with one of those hangovers.

Luna didn’t forgive her and left her not only in her personal relationship, but at work, in the middle of a period of scheduled work by the famous photographer, who in recent times was so required by many magazines and celebrities. 

Raven cursed herself and also told herself to learn from her incredibly stupid mistake. And after a few days noticing that she felt that pang in her chest every time she remembered Luna, she knew that she had fallen in love with her. Although she tried to beg Luna to forgive her, to try again, Luna completely refused, telling her that she could never trust her again. 

Almost a month had passed and it still hurt, and that day Raven was unable to carry out taking photos that she had scheduled with a resounding Spanish singer. After apologizing and rescheduling it at a generous discount, she simply locked herself in her study and started crying and drinking.

Raven felt greatly supported by her new assistant, and even though they weren't friends, she felt the blonde was like her best friend right there. She confided in Clarke about many things of her life that no one knew, in addition to the relationship that had left her in that miserable state. 

That was the only moment when the assistant opened up a bit to her and told her that she only had her mother, since her father had died in an accident when she was a teenager, and that she had had her romantic disappointments both with women and men. That the last relationship she'd been in had ended because her miserable boyfriend of a couple of months, Finn, had cheated on her with a coworker. Raven didn’t feel very good hearing how Clarke hated infidelity, but she didn’t felt judged by the blonde. Instead, she knew how to make her feel better, after continuing to talk to her and raising her spirits.

Clarke made it clear to Raven that she had screwed up, but that she understood the pressure and stress that this job produced sometimes, and that those temptations were easy to fall into. Raven thanked her support and understanding, like she was her bestie. But Clarke Griffin remained a great unknown for Raven, since from that day they had not struck up a conversation of that type, or with that friendly characteristic. 

Her new assistant just remains as professional and distance, as their working relationship it was between them. Like she was switching channels in her head automatically, which surprised a little Raven, but she didn’t judged her either. Raven knew a lot of people in her life, and she always was respectful to everyone's personality or humor. She understood that each human being is different, and so everybody have their own shit to deal with in life. So she was cool with Clarke changed of attitude, respect her and that she remain more just her assistant than her friend.

Raven simply devoted herself to her work, which had enough, and let the relationship with her assistant form naturally, and without trying to force her to become her friend and confidant. She wanted to respect the privacy of the mysterious Canadian blonde, and let her decide if she wanted to be friends with her or not. 

But Raven didn’t stop inviting Clarke whenever she could, to the celebrations to which the photographer was invited, or to those nightclubs to which she attended with her group of friends and acquaintances. Usually, Clarke declined her invitations, making different excuses. Although Raven knew it was a way of telling her that they weren't friends, or that she didn't want to be friends at the moment. Likewise, the latina didn’t give up, and always invited Clarke to attend events with her if she wished, just in case someday she change her mind and wanna try to be more than her simply assistant.

On the other hand, Raven couldn't deny that Clarke had a very attractive beauty, and that mystery around her made her even more interesting. But at the same time, she had promised herself never to make the same mistake as she did with Luna, mixing work with affections, or friends with benefits, or a friend fucks. 

No, she didn't want to make the same stupid mistake, and she also didn't want to lose someone as effective, responsible, and talented as Clarke. Raven valued her competence and work too much, to lose her to a fuck companion, or whatever it was they might have. So the photographer stayed behind that imaginary line that her new assistant had marked, completely respecting it.

Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Octavia looked at the clothing sets alongside Harper and under Clarke's watchful eyes. Suddenly the blonde smiled listening to Raven singing the song “Despacito” by Fonsi. 

Her boss couldn't handle her latin blood, but that also made the work environment great, with a touch of fun and relaxed atmosphere. Something that she appreciated, even if she didn't express it verbally. But Clarke’s eyes and senses were in those moments focused on the beautiful and famous model Octavia Woods. 

She was truly a beautiful woman, and Clarke knew that the young woman got whoever she wanted in her bed. Although she also knew that Octavia was very selective, and in some way, she competed with her handsome brother, the manager, for the women who approached them. The only thing they didn’t compete in was for men. For what she knew o could get information on Bellamy Woods, the lawyer and manager was a straight man.

Clarke had a very well prepared plan, and for which she had prepared a lot. Now the time had come, to prove that all that time of waiting, planning, and training, had not been in vain. She didn’t have much time if she wanted to make some progress with one of the Woods. 

So that afternoon was more than important to get closer to the model, who by the way was checking Harper's ass. Clarke rolled her eyes, Harper was cute, but pfft... she looked at herself in the mirror, and thought she might be better merchandise for the model in a twinkling of fingers. Also, the fashion expert was straight, and that day she had confirmed that she was waiting her first child with her husband Monty, with whom she was madly in love. But, Octavia Woods', the natural wild hunter had no idea of that.

The photo session continued without major issues, all in a very relaxed atmosphere, without nervousness or tension. Raven was a well-known professional, and her photoshoots were usually relaxed. Good music playing in the background, with good food and drink, and mainly a lot of attention to the celebrity Raven was capturing with her camera.

During the several hours that of the photographic session, Clarke noticed that both Octavia and her brother seemed to be in the middle of a competition, to see who got her most attention, and obviously, who will fucked her the fastest. 

And she couldn't be more pleased, as that was her goal, although she particularly wanted the famous model to win the contest. Of the two siblings, Clarke preferred Octavia for various reasons, and especially because she believed her to be easier to handle in different ways.

Bellamy Woods, from what Clarke had studied about him, was someone more complicated. His personality domineering, and the typical conceited male, he was also more perceptive and intelligent than his younger sister. She would have to deal much more with the lawyer and manager, than the partying and outgoing careless model.

Octavia was also quite sassy and direct, Clarke could tell. She played a lot more than necessary, and approached her with clear wishes for something extra in her assistance. But Clarke needed to play her role very well, since she didn’t want a good fuck there in the dressing room, or later that night in the hotel suite where Octavia was staying, and that's it. She needed to enter the Woods mansion through the front door, and Octavia Woods was the best candidate of the siblings to reach that goal.

Octavia lived in the present, and she didn't give a damn what you wanted from her, if the model wanted you at her disposal. That was the jackpot, and it was what Clarke wanted to achieve, to be that person for Octavia, someone who she wanted, and who was not so easy to get as it looks.

The famous model was known for multiple sleeping partners who had passed through her bed, both men and women, but no one had stayed in her bedroom, or her life for more than a month. You could tell that Octavia Woods was a free bird, and that it was quite a while before she would seriously bond with someone. But the truth was that Clarke didn't give a damn, about Octavia’s life or her future, she just needed to get into that mansion with enough time to get what she needed.

Clarke realized that the annoying older brother could turn out to be a little problem. Bellamy noticed his famous sister's approached her, and immediately tried to cut off all progress, just to see if he could get attention. In part Clarke needed just that, for Bellamy to play with her, and for her to appear attracted to the manager, before the intense eyes of the model. She needed to be desired by both siblings, so she needed to play those games of seduction with both of them. But Octavia was always Clarke’s priority.

In a break from the shoot, in the dressing room, Octavia was struggling with taking off a very tight dress that she could not unzip, which was on one side of her perfect body. Harper had come out and the pretty assistant who she wanted to fuck hard that night was just entering. 

Octavia bit her lip looking at her with desire in the reflection of the large illuminated mirror. Clarke seemed very focused on arranging some clothes that had been thrown around the room between changes, without noticing Octavia’s stalking gaze at a pretty prey.

\- Oh Clarke… could you help me with the damn zipper? It's jammed and although I don't give a damn about paying for this garment, I don't want to break my nails... - Octavia asked with a small act of desperation. Clarke raised her blue eyes from among the clothes she was picking up, and after smiling at Octavia approached the lady in distress.

\- Yes, of course. I understand. Let me help you, that's what I'm for here for... - Clarke replied kindly now very close to the model, who looked at her with desire in her somewhat darkened eyes. Octavia’s eyes ran over Clarke’s face, to stay focused on her lips.

\- You are so attentive…. And beautiful…. Those blue eyes of yours are two oceans... and let me tell you that you would be a jewel in the fashion world my dear... - Octavia praised effusively, drooling in a great way. 

Clarke had knelt almost in front of her, and was holding her by the waist with one hand, and with the other, she was trying to lower that clasp. Octavia imagined her in a similar position, but devouring her between her legs, making her lose herself in a sea of sensations, until she came hard. The slight laugh of the blonde assistant brought her back to reality, she loved the sound of that laugh.

\- Pfft… me? Are you serious?. Well, because it came from a beauty like you it is a great compliment. Thanks Octavia... - Clarke commented with her reddened cheeks, to return her eyes to that zipper. She mentally applauded herself for the good performance she was carrying out before the devouring eyes of the model - Let's see... if... it's somewhat stuck... Damn! Let me look for Harper so that... - Clarke separated from Octavia's body to go in search of the fashion expert, but the model's hand holding her wrist prevented her from doing so.

Octavia grabbed the assistant's wrist, before she could even take a step, and after Clarke looked at her in surprise, Octavia tugged at her grip with a mischievous smile on her lips, to simply join them with the pretty assistant's. 

Octavia’s hungry mouth soon sought to deepen that kiss with Clarke, who the model noticed didn’t seems to agreed very much with that kiss, since her lips didn’t move at the same time as hers. 

Clarke’s mouth didn’t open either, when Octavia’s daring tongue stroked the entire edge of her mouth eagerly, giving a little more attention to that cute mole on the upper lip on the left side of Clarke’s mouth, and then returned to her lips as she tried to penetrate her.

Clarke cut off the surprising kiss, and separated from the model also now surprised. She took a step back, looking at Octavia in shock and also some shyness, and the model would even say some shame. 

Octavia looked at her without quite understanding what the hell was wrong with her, and also with some irritation. Nobody refused a kiss from her, absolutely nobody. 

The model's brow furrowed immediately and her eyes became intense, connecting with those blues full of a look that Octavia didn’t know what it meant, but whatever it was, the look in Clarke’s eyes bothered her.

\- I… I'm sorry Octavia…. I don't think... I'm sorry... - Clarke expressed with her red cheeks and her eyes flashing with sorrow. 

It was something that the model was not used to, and it really surprised her in a way and even made her feel bad, which she hated. But she was not willing to give up, if the blonde assistant was one of those difficult prudes, then she wouldn’t give up easily, she would find her way around. To do this, she immediately needed to play a little embarrassed.

\- Hey… it's ok, don't apologize. I was the one who kissed you. But tell me, did I mix up the signals here? Because my gay radar never fails me... - Octavia apologized, which she hated to do, but if she needed to do it to win that blonde over her brother, she would.

\- No… it's not that… I mean, it hasn't failed you. But I just don't think… - Clarke mentally told herself that maybe she might have a chance in Hollywood when all that was over. Apparently, she was being quite convincing in her innocent shocked performance, because the model looked like she didn't know what the hell to say.

\- Ok, ok... don't be sorry anymore... It doesn’t matter, just forget it…. Yeah, you better go find Harper, and something to drink, I'm dying of thirst here... - Clarke nodded her head and regret in her eyes, perfectly acting her role, starting to move away from the model, walking towards the dressing room door.

Octavia followed Clarke with her eyes still surprised and also angry, she hated that this happened to her and because it rarely happened. She let out a puff of irritation, shaking her head, sitting down on the couch. She was so horny for that pretty assistant, and she couldn't understand what the hell was wrong with Clarke to reject her like that. 

Had her damn brother conquered Clarke before she had? Maybe the blonde was straight. Octavia had noticed how Bell had approached Clarke several times, with his typical charming act, making her laugh at the nonsense that he whispered in her ear, while the shoot was taking place. And Clarke seemed to like that silly attention because she looked at him with the eyes of a sheep ready to be eaten by the alpha male of the pack. 

But then Octavia thought that Clarke was definitely not straight, because she also told her that her gay radar wasn’t wrong. So perhaps the beauty assistant was bisexual, which anyways, Octavia give a damn in Clarke's sexuality. She just smirking thinking in her favorite quote: “everybody is straight as the spaghetti, until they get wet”. She definitely will get that woman over her big brother, no matter what she needed to do.

That bastard wasn’t going to beat her to this cutie with eyes so blue that they had shocked Octavia. In addition to noticing those two large beauties breasts that she could see under Clarke’s low-cut blouse. And those black jeans tight to her very outlined legs, that remarked a pretty nice ass to slap. Octavia's mouth was watering for this woman, and she wished that she would make Clarke scream her name several times that night.

Clarke had either already been wooed by her brother, or she was one of those tough prudes. Octavia needed to do something and soon, there wasn't much left of that damn photoshoot. She had made her move, a move, which never failed her, she knew she was a good kisser, but clearly, she needed to conquer the blonde in other, more delicate ways, or with more tact.

If this was a new competition with her brother, Octavia was willing to win it. Her thoughts and conclusions were interrupted, when the phone began to vibrate on the low table next to the sofa. 

As she looked at it, she saw that it was none other than her beloved younger sister, Lexa face time calling, as she and Bell, and other relatives and acquaintances used to call her. To the rest of the world, she was the famous pianist Alexandra Woods. 

Octavia missed her a lot, she had not seen her little sister in several months, and she wanted to see her soon. She had convinced Lexa to meet her at the house that the family-owned in the Hamptons, in Long Island, coinciding with her concerts in New York, of Lexa worldwide’s current tour, and that in which Octavia was in New York at the same time.

Octavia immediately forgot her anger with the blonde assistant, and happily answered her little sister’s call.

\- Lexa!!! Sweetie, where are you?! - Octavia enthused, almost shouting into the phone, causing her sister on the other end of the line to frown and pull slightly away from her phone. 

Although Lexa knew that it was Octavia's inordinate love that she always expressed to her and in some way, although it was too loud for her liking, she felt that her heart was smiling with the love of her sister.

\- Hi O… I'm in New York, I arrived last night. How are you? Bell is there with you? Put the speaker on so the three of us can talk.

\- I'm fine my love, I’m in the middle of a photo shoot. I'm in my dressing room and Bell is around, he's not here, but I'll give him your regards. And yes, I know you are in New York silly, but tell me where, in what hotel, and I'll pick you up when we finish here with Bell.

\- No... is not a good idea today. - Lexa answered as always with few words both in person and on the phone. 

Her siblings were used to it. Lexa’s negative answer saddened Octavia a bit who put on her best pouty face, looking at her sister on the small screen, and Lexa rolled her eyes.

\- Ohhhhhhh…. Uffa…. But why?

\- I have my first concert tonight.

\- Oh shit! I forgot that, well love, we'll see you at the Hamptons house at the weekend, right? You promised Lex… - Octavia wanted to make sure that her little sister wouldn't make some excuse.

The model had organized a surprise party to celebrate the success of Lexa’s world tour, which had sold out of tickets for the most famous theaters everywhere. Octavia was so proud of the little girl from the Woods family, and she knew that if she told Lexa, that she wanted to celebrate her successful tour, she would refuse, due to her apprehension of being in a place surrounded by people.

So after planning with her brother Bellamy, they had organized something small and private party, in which Octavia’s sister would feel the support of her own family, and how happy they were for her. 

The proud older siblings had even tried to get their father to attend, as an extra surprise, since they had not seen him in a very long time. But the old man, as always, put his damn business above the family. Not that surprised either sibling, but they felt sad for Lexa, who was the closest to the patriarch of the Woods family.

\- Yes, yes, it's alright... - Lexa finally answered, biting her lip and looking up somewhat nervously.

Octavia knew that her sister didn’t trust her regarding meetings or parties. A couple of times she had made her appear in the middle of large and noisy parties, with her friends and acquaintances, and her younger sister would run away, not speaking to her for long periods. But Lexa's positive response made a huge smile light up her sister’s face.

Just then, Clarke came in again followed by Harper, immediately noticed that Octavia was having a video call communication with someone on her phone. She turned, stopping Harper from opening her mouth, making a sign that the model was in the middle of a conversation. 

After Harper understood and nooded, they began to fix the mess of clothes everywhere, in absolute silence, trying not to bother her. While Octavia continued in her conversation without noticing the presence of the assistants behind her.

\- Lexie my love... Please don't worry, okay? - Octavia put on her best face of affection, but Lexa knew her well, and trembled at the thought of having to attend the party.

\- O... you're not going to invite all your friends right?

\- Hmmm... just a few… I swear only the closest... - Octavia didn’t want to lie to her sister and surprise her again in that terrible way. She didn’t want to see her cry, or be distanced from her by these kinds of bad surprises.

\- Shit O! You promised the last time that there will be no more parties…! - Lexa closed her eyes defeated.

The pianist knew, she knew that her big sister would make her appear at one of those damn parties, of hers full of rowdy people, high on alcohol, loud music, and drugs sometimes, and she hated. Her sister never changed, and Lexa didn't understand her either. She always pushed her into those kinds of awkward situations.

\- Lexie please please don't get mad lovely…. Please, don’t worry little sister, I swear to you, that this time there will be very few, and they will not bother you at all, and they will behave.

Clarke paid attention to the conversation going on behind her back, an interesting one indeed. She knew that Octavia and Bellamy had a younger sister, the famous pianist, Alexandra Woods.

Clarke had read about her, studied her profile and personality like that of her older brothers. Also, she watched some videos on YouTube, and also the occasional photo of the young artist, who was revolutionizing the world of classical music, which made Clarke’s jaw drop. 

She was a very beautiful woman, somewhat different from her sister, the model, but Alexandra could also have been a model as well, and probably more successful even than Octavia if she wanted. Her features were so unique and clearly the camera loves her. Alexandra didn’t needed to make any effort in pose for the camera to catches her beauty. The famous pianist was absolutely a magnificent natural beauty.

Clarke didn’t wanna admitted yet, that she had fallen in love with Alexandra’s enigmatic and expressive green eyes. They were so special, that she could stare at them for long periods, and they seemed to speak to her from those photos she found on the internet. 

She had also read that Alexandra was an extremely reserved and introverted woman, and that nothing was known about her, absolutely nothing of her life outside of the classical music stages. And of course, that fact that her oldest sister was the famous model Octavia Woods.

Alexandra the pianist, was like day and night with her sister, the model, or even if she compared her to Bellamy. Clarke couldn’t deny that she had been quite attracted to the enigmatic young woman. But although she couldn’t use her for her purposes, she was someone very complicated, and very difficult to conquer. 

Also, for some strange reason, Clarke didn’t want to use her, but rather felt the desire to protect her from the world. It was such a strange thought or feeling, because she didn't know Alexandra at all, and when she thought about which family she belonged to, she didn't like her one bit. But instead of wasting time analyzing her strange feelings for the young pianist, Clarke tried to forget about her.

Likewise, Clarke couldn’t avoid downloading some of the pianist's albums, and listening to them at different times of the day, but particularly at night. The music was so relaxing and so addicting. She would swear she could feel it through Alexandra’s music, the way she performed those well-known pieces from great composers, but in a very special way that only Alexandra Woods could. 

In part, Clarke cursed herself for doing that, she didn’t wish to have any relationship with anyone from that family, other than to use them for her specific purposes, period. But God! That music impressively penetrated her soul, like a powerful ray of light penetrating a dark room, that Clarke could only compare with her internal feelings.

Clarke knew well that since the murder of her father, she had secluded herself in that dark place in her hurt and broken soul. Distancing herself from everything, and only having one purpose in life, to find the person or persons responsible for her father's death, no matter what it would take, or who fell on the road. 

Then she found out that not other than Titus Woods was very connected with her father's fate. So she was on the way to make this murder pay for his crime, when suddenly there was the mysterious talented pianist youngest daughter. Alexandra Woods, illuminating her soul without knowing it, as if she were transporting her to another universe, one without pain, without limits. Almost compared with how Clarke felt when she was in those mountains with the wolf pack. 

But she made an enormous effort not to continue concentrating on the Woods family's talented young woman’s music. She would just let her relax at night before bed, and that was it. Clarke needed to keep her mind cold and focused on the plan she had so long prepared and planned for.

Alexandra Woods was someone Clarke would have liked to meet in other circumstances, and with another name or surname. She was a woman who would have truly fascinated her, and she had even been tempted to draw her, but she refused to do so. She didn’t wanted to imprinted her image inside her soul, as she did with her wild beautiful brothers. Clarke only drew her brother wolves, landscapes, once her dear father with her, and nothing else. 

But that unique face, those enchanted green eyes, really made her want to move her restless hands, as if they wanted to reach for those pencils and just portray her. Especially those so expressive eyes that transmitted so much to her, spoke to her so clearly. 

Clarke would swear she could even reveal secrets in them, ones that no one knew. That young woman was someone special, and very fascinating to discover, but a challenge too. Likewise, Clarke told herself more than once, to forget about Alexandra Woods, and stick to the plan. That was not other than get involve with her big sister, the famous model Octavia, just to get the access to what she really needed.

But something inside Clarke shook when she suddenly heard Alexandra’s voice, and managed to glance at her sideways on that little screen of her older sister's phone. Now she was hearing her for the first time live and direct, her sweet voice. A voice that was so harmonious, like her hands playing that beautiful instrument, of which she was a prodigious star, with so much reason.

Clarke would have liked to have a closer look at that video call, but she refrained from doing so, or the model might react badly to her for daring to spy on a private conversation. But she did pay attention to the interesting conversation. Clarke noticed that Octavia’s younger sister was not very talkative, she was short and precise with her responses and expressions.

\- You said the same thing the last time O… - Lexa replied, frustrated, with her eyes pleading. She didn’t want to run away from another place without being able to talk a little with her older sister, feeling drowned, in panic.

\- Okay, sorry, how many times do I have to say it Lexie… Besides, I had no idea that idiot of Paul would bother you like that… He was also a little high…. - Octavia apologized again for the last unpleasant accident that had happened with her sister, at that damn party, to which she had taken Lexa without her knowing it.

Octavia had promised her sister that they would get out of there soon, but once she left her alone for a minute, her stupid friend Paul pounced on Lexa to want to kiss her. 

Bellamy was there and stopped him in time, but that was only enough for Lexa to get out of there as fast as her feet could take her, clearly very affected, without Octavia or Bell being able to reach her, before she climbed into the limo and it drove off at full speed. 

Later, both siblings had to listen to a furious Anya on the phone, scolding them like two little children, because they had allowed Lexa to be left alone to deal with that drunk idiot, from which it had been difficult for her to calm down.

\- I have to go... - Lexa didn’t want to continue on the phone, much less remembering that horrendous moment.

Lexa needed to be calm for the concert that would give that same night. And she didn't want to argue with Octavia, she just hoped that her sister would think of her for once, and not subject her to a huge group of crazy and unknown people, intoxicated by drink or drug. 

She just wanted to see her siblings and talk, catch up, to be together for a few days and that was it. Like a simple mini quiet family vacation, until maybe Christmas time, when they would meet again in their family mansion near London, in Bly Manor.

\- Gezzz Lexie… can you please forget that incident, and tell me that you are happy to see us soon… You know that I adore you little sis, and I miss you terrible much… - Octavia begged somewhat hurt, it is that she was, not only for her but more for her little sister, as she knew how hard it was for her to overcome that strange phobia she had for dealing with people.

\- Yeah, okay, I'll see you on Saturday, say hi to Bell. And I love you too. - The pianist finally answered with a slightly more relaxed face, sending a kiss at the end of her answer with her hand, making her sister smile from the heart.

\- Yes, I'll tell him you said hi sweetie, and have a nice concert tonight... Sorry I can't attend.

\- Yes, you already apologized for that. It’s okay, O, I know classical music isn’t your thing. Until Saturday then.

\- Until Saturday, hon... Take care and send my greetings to Anya.

Hearing that detail told Clarke that she should go to that meeting or party at any cost on Saturday. Whether she went in the company of Octavia, or Bellamy, it was a good opportunity to check out that summer house in the Hamptons, owned by the ostentatious Woods family. So Clarke needed to make a move, quietly and carefully but she had to make it sure that she will be in the VIP guests list of that party.

After helping Octavia with her dress, Harper gave her the next change of clothes and left the model and the assistant alone again. Clarke needed to act so she wouldn't miss the chance, but she shouldn't be obvious and suddenly play along with Octavia's seductive game. 

She barely looked at Octavia, as if she were ashamed, something she knew how to do very well. Clarke knew that the model was piercing her with her intense blue-green eyes, while she helped her with the new change of clothes.

Octavia was willing to win the battle with her big brother, so even if that wasn’t her style, she was going to play it more slowly with the pretty assistant. Consequently, she changed her attitude from a hungry wolf to a subtle sheep with Clarke. She already wanted to be her partner on Saturday, at the surprise party she and Bellamy will give to her little sis. 

Surely Bellamy was also doing what his sister was doing with his damn tactics, a little more delicate and slow approach, to convince Clarke to be his partner at the party, but Octavia wasn't going to let him win. Not in a fucking years, she told to herself, very convinced that she will take Clarke by her side.

\- Hey... beautiful... Look at me please... Clarke...? - Clarke stopped and looked into Octavia’s eyes. 

She was kneeling in front of the model, helping her put on some very high heels. Octavia dared to put her hand under Clarke’s chin, and lift her pretty face towards her. Octavia was dying to kiss her again, but the model held back with all her possible strength. “Smooth O, just be smooth girl, you will get her…” she repeat into her head, but its wasn't really easy. 

That image turned Octavia, having the beautiful blonde kneeling in front of her, looking at her with those incredible eyes, so expressive, and with that look of complete submissiveness. Endless fantasies crossed her mind in less than a second, but she shook them off immediately, or she would swear, she would attack like a wolf in heat. 

Clarke's blue eyes met hers, they looked so embarrassed and completely submissive. A flame burned inside Octavia, but she could control herself, she thought to herself. She needed to if she wanted to bring the pretty blonde to that party, and show her off to her friends.

\- I'm sorry about my early behavior, it was very out of context, and even rude I must admitted. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable with it. Believe me, I don't usually attack people, stealing kisses from them as I please. But the truth is that I couldn't resist so much beauty, and that precious mole that you have over your lip…. Anyway, I just wanted to apologize, and also invite you to a party. I want to make up for my mistake with you, and show you that I’m not a misplaced stalker...

\- I... you have nothing to apologize for. I've already forgotten about it. - Clarke barely replied looking at Octavia with her eyes in such a submissive way, that she knew she was wreaking havoc on the model. She could see her eyes darken in the blink of an eye.

\- I'm glad to hear that…. So, precious… Will you come with me to the party?

\- I don't know... When is it and where?  
\- This Saturday, it is a surprise party for my little sister. I imagine you have heard of her, the famous pianist Alexandra Woods. Bell and I want to celebrate the success of her recent world tour.

\- Oh…. No, I don’t know about her, sorry, I thought it was just you and your brother.

\- Oh my God! I can't believe this… But please, stop being sorry pretty, maybe it's because you don't like classical music... Between us, neither do I, not a bit. But I love my little sis, and she's a genius at the piano and classical music. So Clarke, what do you say? Please, let me make amends for my mistake.

\- Seriously Octavia, you don't have to… It's also a family party and I….

\- But I want to... Please? - Octavia desperately took Clarke's face between her two hands, and was almost about to draw it to her lips again, but stood there pleadingly in place, barely stroking those red cheeks with her thumbs, as she felt the softness of the skin of that beautiful woman that was haunting her.

\- It's okay…. What time? Where is it? And how should I dress? - Finally, Clarke answered Octavia’s plea, like a good submissive girl who was in front of those eyes so darkened of the model that they devoured her. 

She was enjoying it immensely. Everything was going according to plan, and Octavia Woods was an excellent piece on the board in front of her.

\- Precious, just give me your address to pick you up from on Saturday mid-morning. We must fly to the place, it is in the Hamptons, on Long Island.

\- Oh… yeah, sure… But ermmm… What about clothes? What should I wear or how?

\- Don't worry about it, I want to give them to you. I know it sounds maybe a little quirky and/or over the top, but it's my way of apologizing. Even if you tell me it is not necessary, those are my conditions. Oh, and well, I have to let you know about my little sis, she's kind of special. But we can talk about her on the trip on Saturday.

\- Okay, thanks, Octavia. Before leaving today, I'll give you my address and my phone number.

\- You are a charm! And don't even say thanks. Thank you precious for accepting. You'll see, we'll have a great time over the weekend.

\- Wait ... the weekend you say? I thought it was just a party on Saturday.

\- Well, you know, the parties usually end late, and are lively, so I don't think I can bring you back to the mainland until Monday. Or if you have to work Monday morning, we can come back Sunday night.

\- No, it's okay, I don't have work on Monday. But you don't have to bring me back Octavia, I can go back on my own.

\- No way pretty, I take you to it, and I return you back home. So now let's go, or your boss is going to kill us if we keep chit chat here.

Octavia almost ran out of the dressing room, with a broad triumphant smile on her face, followed by Clarke, who was also celebrating inside, although she was hiding very well. It was the first step in her carefully studied plan, and Octavia Woods had been easier than she had imagined.


	4. Chapter 4

[](https://gifyu.com/image/U0IG)

After finishing the photoshoot in the middle of the afternoon, Octavia made sure again to confirm Clarke's presence at that party, and of course, she did it in front of her brother Bellamy. As she said goodbye to Clarke, the brunette placed two kisses very close to the corner of her lips, and caressed her face with her hand. 

Clarke knew Octavia was doing it very purposefully in the presence of her opponent, who immediately frowned at his sister's affectionate attitude towards the pretty assistant.

Bellamy then understood the change in Clarke's attitude toward his approaches. He had tried to invite her to his younger sister’s concert later that night at the theater. Bellamy was surprised by the disinterested and cold attitude of the blonde, and the rejection of his invitation. Clarke excused herself from the invitation, claiming that she was not very fond of classical music, and that she had other plans for that night.

The eldest of the Woods siblings imagined that Clarke’s plans for that night might include his sister Octavia. Surely his sister had invited the blonde to dinner, and obviously to have a good time in the hotel suite where they were staying. 

He wasn't sure, but his sister made it clear to him that Clarke was going to be her date on Saturday, at that party, to celebrate the success of his sister Lexa's tour at the Hamptons mansion.

Bellamy cursed Octavia, and he cursed himself for being so slow in conquering the curvy blonde. Again his sister was winning the prey, and he no longer knew how many he had lost, but he was getting tired of the hunts with the model. He told himself to have a chat with Octavia about it, when he had the time and desire. For the time being his humor had gone down the toilet with the news that Octavia had won over the pretty assistant.

That same night, the famous pianist Alexandra Woods would appear at a well-known local theater, in her first concert of two she had scheduled in New York. Both had been fully sold out for months, when the tickets for the tour had been put on sale.

Clarke of course had her ticket, she had acquired it through an acquaintance on the Internet, a few weeks ago, in a so-called clandestine resale. She'd had to pay almost double the original price, but she didn't want to miss out on this concert. 

The location of Clarke’s seat was on one of the balconies near the stage, so the price had been quite high, but she wanted to indulge herself, going a bit off her mission plan. She knew she shouldn't really, but she couldn't resist.

So there Clarke was, she had disguised herself a bit, she was wearing a dark wig, brown contact lenses, plus thick glasses that covered much of her face. Strategically, she had hoped to arrive at the last minute, when almost the entire audience had entered the room. She wanted to be as discreet as possible, especially when she knew by default that Bellamy would probably attend, and perhaps also someone close to the pianist, who in the future might recognize her.

Without a doubt, she needed to go as unnoticed as possible. Clarke wasn't going to jeopardize her long, elaborate plan, just because of some stupid reason she became somewhat obsessed with the youngest of the family and her talent. 

Clarke had to admit that she simply couldn’t erase Alexandra from her mind, as well as that addicted melodious piano music, which accompanied her every night before she fell asleep.

Alexandra was transporting Clarke to another world, one of very deep, with pleasant, very pleasant sensations. It was as if her music had the power to subtly touch every fiber of Clarke’s soul, calming everything within her. And even giving her a break from her life’s mission, since she found her father murdered. The hard mission to find the men who killed her father, and those that ordered them to murder him.

Alexandra Woods had the power to take Clarke away, to a place of peace and warm sensations. Like a ray of light penetrating her hidden soul in the darkness of the pain of loss, and Clarke’s thirst for justice or even revenge. 

It was without a doubt her addiction, and also her weakness, and it wasn't really good, because the famous young pianist was nothing less than the daughter of the man who had ordered her father’s murder.

Clarke waited for the order to enter the room since the lights would go out in five minutes. She went to the bathroom waiting for the lights to go down in the theater, so her face would not be seen. She was at the balcony door until she heard the sound of the orchestra announcing the beginning of the concert. 

Then she entered the dark balcony at the same time that the famous pianist was making her entrance on stage, walking slowly, with enormous elegance, dressed in a very sensual black dress with her bare shoulders. Her long brown hair was tied back with a thin blue bow, and her feet were elevated by not-too-high black heels to match the dress. Alexandra barely smiled, but Clarke thought that she was shy at her entrance, and a bit tense perhaps.

There she was, Clarke thought, staring at Alexandra in fascination from the shadows that covered her, sitting alone on that balcony, which she had rented entirely, of course. She had a very good view from there, and she had rented some binoculars from the theater reception, so that she could see the beautiful pianist a little closer. 

Clarke wished very much that she had been able to bring her powerful camera, and spend the concert photographing her. But not only was that not allowed, but she would not dare to do so, it was already very risky and stupid that she was there.

The talented young woman greeted the orchestra with a small bow, nodding her head once, and then did the same to the fervid audience that didn’t stop applauding her standing. 

Then Alexandra sat down at the big black Steinway & Son grand piano, same as the audience did and remained in a complete silence. The conductor of the orchestra nodded his head towards her. After the pianist responded in kind, the conductor raised his hands, and the orchestra began to perform the theme of the composer Shostakovich, and his Piano Concerto in F major, Op 102. A theme that Clarke particularly liked very much how the young pianist interpreted always.

When it was time for the piano part to begin, Clarke's skin immediately prickled at the first touch of the key with which the part began. Her hands gripped the armrests of the red velvet-covered chair where she sat. She could feel the energy run through her body, as if it were simply stripping her soul. The way the young Woods caressed those keys, with that delicacy so natural, that it seemed that the instrument was part of her.

That kind of union was so perfect between artist and instrument, and the sound that came from that union was magnificent and perfect, Clarke thought, staring at the beautiful Alexandra, almost without blinking, or even dare to breath. 

Because she really could hardly breathe, for fear of interrupting that melody taking over her entire being as it did every night. Also, at that moment, Clarke knew that nothing compared to listening to Alexandra Woods live right there in person. She would almost say that it could make her cry from the emotion that overwhelmed her at that moment. It was simply magical and shook Clarke to the last part of her being.

After a few minutes, Clarke felt that she should close her eyes and just listen to her, and she did so, enjoying how the clear sound penetrated not only her ears but her very soul, lifting her as she got lost in that warm and calm sea of intense sensations.

Clarke would never have believed a few months ago that she would come across something like this, or someone like Alexandra, on that path she had taken in her life. She never thought she would obsess over a pianist, but here she was, attending a classical music concert for the first time in her life, and becoming a connoisseur of classical music in the last six months, that she had been researching the Woods family.

Since that first time, it occurred to Clarke, when she watched the young pianist in a video on YouTube out of simple curiosity, trying to understand why in the hell she was so famous, and so many people followed her on her social media accounts. 

Just as she had bought Alexandra’s albums that sold like hotcakes, as soon as they were on sale. And her audience also had all kinds of ages and cultures. It was like a gigantic global wave of people, who were carried away by her enormous talent. 

That feeling that Alexandra transmitted through her interpretation was, Clarke would say, the key to all that strong attraction. The young beautiful and talented pianist was, without a doubt, a unique musician. And Clarke quickly became one more person who was addicted to her music and her style. Although she never should have become, especially knowing that it complicated her plans greatly.

Even though she was aware of it, Clarke couldn’t stop seeing or listening to her, it became part of her nights, as part of her relaxation routine, after meditating for about twenty minutes. Alexandra Woods’s music and her delicate hands playing that beautiful instrument in such a lovely way, was the perfect addition to it. Still, Clarke flatly refused to investigate her further than necessary. She refused to connect further with the pianist, other than her music.

She needed to focus on what she had to do to get into the Woods family, and that was only through the model Octavia, who was the easiest to use for her plans. 

Clarke needed to check every mansion in the millionaire family, looking for that evidence, the dirty deals of their father, Titus Woods, and something that connected him to the murder of Clarke’s father. Because after years of research, patience, and a lot of work, she had found a clue that led her to Titus Woods, as a very possible executor of the order to eliminate the Canadian lawyer Jake Cotter.

Besides, Clarke didn't want to feel close to anyone in the family, or interested in them beyond sheer interest in her plan, to gather information and evidence, to bring the bastard to justice. She didn't want to be attracted to any of the Woods siblings, she just wanted to use them to enter their mansions.

But Clarke cursed the time she came across the beautiful and talented Alexandra Woods, or Lexa, as her siblings called her. And her damn piano, and that music that intoxicated her every time Clarke listened to it. It calmed her so much, it shook her, it make her feel emotional, and sometimes it could even move her in other, somewhat warmer directions. 

That pianist was going to be her downfall, she told herself, as she applauded with the audience at the end of the first part of the concert, still hidden as much as possible in the shadows of that balcony. Still feeling that special energy running through all her being, as a result of listening Lexa played so wonderfully and magnificent as she always did. 

The concert lasted a little over an hour and a half, with three intervals. The young famous pianist played different classical composers, and also some of her own musical pieces, who by the way, were really beautiful pieces. 

Lexa’s last album had been sold with sales records, as soon as it had been released, with millions and millions of copies sold in a few days. As well as her latest video on her Vevo YouTube account, with billions of views in a matter of a few days.

It was truly a beautiful video, showing the pianist playing a huge white grand piano on the beach, with the great blue ocean in the background. Lexa walked to the piano with an elegance that was so part of her. She was wearing a stunning purple ball gown, which left her perfect shoulders, and much of her back exposed. 

When she reached the piano, she would open the lid that protected the keys, and with subtlety she caressed them. After sitting down, the camera showed her beautiful enraptured green eyes looking at the instrument for a brief moment, while her lips barely curved in a faint smile, that particular smile of hers as she began to interpret the theme.

The video was just so beautiful and magical, and Clarke was never tired of seeing it from time to time. Lexa was playing Paul de Senneville's theme, "Mariage d'Amour." While the sea breeze played with her long brown hair, the pianist devoted as always to the music and to that instrument, that seemed attached to her hands in such a natural and perfect way.

At the end of the concert, the pianist and the orchestra performed Tchaikovsky's piano concerto number one, OP 23 “Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso”, which made Clarke's whole body vibrate without her being able to avoid it. As Lexa pressed those keys, with so much passion, that it seemed to press every part of her interior and also her body, with dedication, and an inordinate delicacy.

Clarke could feel her heart almost pounding in time with the part the piano was playing. It was like having a real musical orgasm right there, she could tell. Lexa and the orchestra, after finishing that vibrant Tchaikovsky song, smilingly rose from the seat and greeted her talented music partners, the conductor, and the audience, before leaving the stage. 

Clarke stood there, still in the shadows, clapping along with the other attendees, enthusiastically tapping her feet, and asking for one more musical piece. She was so happy to have attended a concert by the young woman who so captivated her for the first time, that her heart was simply bewitched.

But before Clarke leave that balcony, and avoid doing it with fully lights and with all the rest of the audience, she reflected on the fact that Lexa would return to the stage very quickly. And the pianist did, more than Clarke expected. Lexa returned to the stage, and after bowing before the excited standing audience, she took a seat again and began to interpret the theme chosen for that encore. 

Clarke, knew she should leave right there, but she told herself to enjoy a little bit more of Lexa's play. So she sat down again in her fine red velvet chair, ready to enjoy at least part of that last song that the pianist had chosen. It was “Comptine D'un Autre Été”, by the composer Frédéric Schubert. A song that was best known for being part of the soundtrack of the famous old French film “Amelie”. It was a beautiful piece indeed and Clarke was once again enchanted by the magical interpretation of Lexa and her piano.

Clarke would have loved to stay and listen to the whole piece, but that still function part of her brain reminded her to leave the place at once, breaking the enchanted music spell. She had to get out of there as discreetly as she had come. 

Also, Clarke had already spotted the pianist's older brother, Bellamy, in the front row, along with a rather pretty brown-haired woman, who had had a great time with the young lawyer, rather than enjoying the concert. Therefore, she had to flee from there as soon as possible without being seen.

She looked at the young pianist with the binoculars once more, when a red rose suddenly flew over the grand piano on which the pianist was playing. Then finally fell onto the stage floor, almost next to the artist's feet, making Lexa immediately skip a note discreetly. 

It was a very, very faint, almost imperceptible movement of those long, prodigious fingers, but Clarke saw it instantly, as probably most of the audience did. But the young pianist continued to play, regaining her concentration almost instantly. 

Clarke looked out at the balcony in front of hers, to where that red rose had flown from, with a slip of paper attached to it. She immediately focused her binoculars to see the person responsible for that vil interruption. In addition to noticing that Lexa's face had become so tense, that she could even see her jaw clench, and her furrowed brow. Although her hands continued to play the piece without further slippage. 

Clarke was automatically enraged at the idiot who would have bothered Lexa like that. But when she focused her gaze on that darkened balcony, she could barely make out a figure just stepping out of it, almost as if escaping the scene, of course. Damn idiot, Clarke thought irritably, wasting no time doing the same, leaving her balcony in a hurry, and very careful not to make the slightest noise, to see if she could catch up with the insolent on the main stairs of the theater. 

The strange thing was, that as Clarke hurried through the corridors, she didn’t stop for a second to think why she wanted to do that, or why she felt this fury that the pianist was interrupted in that way. What the hell could that fact matter to her?. 

But there she was, moving her feet as fast as she could, trying to catch up with the scoundrel in their flight of escape. Clarke wanted to see his/her face, to identify him/her. She didn’t know what she would do if she reached the person before she/him left? She didn’t know, nor did she think about it, she just kept rushing down the stairs.

But when Clarke reached the last stairs, she was barely in time to see the figure exit through one of the main doors of the theater. She wanted to speed up her pace, but didn't want to attract the attention of the security people posted everywhere. It was clear that the fame that followed the pianist was undoubtedly like those rock stars. So it was not surprising that there was extra security that night in the theater, that normally hosted classical artists or ballet, but not that popular as Alexandra Woods was.

Clarke looked down as she passed some men in suits. She didn’t want to show her face, and she had also taken care to hide from the security cameras of the place, which she had studied very well where they were.

She finally stepped onto the street, but obviously, no one seemed to be the figure she barely managed to see. She couldn't even determine if the figure was male or female, even though the person was wearing pants, and was someone who was maybe five feet tall, she would say. 

Clarke cursed looking around, but without wasting time she motioned for a taxi to stop, as she listened as the security personnel prepared to open the theater doors, so that the public could exit without problems. She couldn't risk being seen by Bellamy or anyone else.

On Saturday morning, Clarke got a message from Octavia advising her that she was on her way to the address she had given her. Which of course was not the real address where she lived, but a place that he pretended to be her home. 

Clarke had to rush because the model told her she would be there in ten minutes. Luckily she had her motorcycle, with which she would get to the place quickly, but she had to hurry. So she finished putting some basic things in a bag, like her precious Canon camera, a pair of glasses, also a change of underwear, a bikini, and pajamas, as well as her toothbrush, makeup, her favorite perfume, Gabrielle de Chanel, and her hairbrush.

After the short trip and being grateful that she still had a few minutes, Clarke left her motorcycle in an underground parking lot, so that no one would steal it. She left the parking lot and stood at the door of the building she supposedly lived in, almost arriving at the same time as Octavia's limousine, which parked at the door. 

The smiling face of the model appeared in the window after it was lowered, beckoning her. Clarke smiled back, and approached the long car, being surprised that there was already no less than her boss, photographer Raven Reyes inside, sipping from a cup of Starbucks coffee, smiling at her, black sunglasses covering her tired eyes.

Clarke hadn’t expected the photographer to be invited, she didn't want to have to deal with acquaintances at the party, other than Octavia and her brother Bellamy. But there she was, her new boss greeting her, while the model explained that she had invited Raven the day before, when they had had a small meeting to choose the best photos of the session.

What Octavia didn’t left out, was that they ended up fucking like savages in the photographer's studio for several hours, and that Raven's hangover was due to a long night of lust and alcohol. The model had a little more experience with long night parties, and she knew her limits if she didn't want to look like a mess the next day. 

Plus, sex always gave her energy, so Octavia, unlike the photographer, was like a happy Tinker Bell. A bit of physical relief had come in handy, so she wouldn't attack the assistant's blonde beauty at the party. 

For some strange reason, Octavia wanted to be in a kind of normal relationship with Clarke, not just fuck her, or one night stand. She liked her, as well as being a really beautiful woman who captivated her, and she wanted to know her more deeply. Octavia still wasn't sure why or what for, but for now Clarke was her new whim. In addition, to enjoying the pleasure of having won Clarke from her older brother.

Octavia knew that she could never have a serious relationship. Especially with the hectic life, she had, almost always on a plane, flying somewhere in the world. If her partner didn’t accompany her, it couldn’t be said that she could be faithful to them. 

Octavia Woods was someone very sexual, and she needed to have sex very often, or her mood was low, make her irritated and getting too tense. Like for many others, meditating, or doing yoga, or a massage and sauna session helped to relax them. The famous top model simply had a good night out, whether, with a woman or a man, she didn't care. 

Octavia had even slept with both sexes several times in the same night, enjoying some fantastic threesomes. Although she preferred sex with one person most of the time, and of course, dominated them. As they were her toys of entertainment and pleasure. Which most of the people she was fucking with were welling to. Just be there, under her, strictly talking.

Clarke was a bit surprised that Bellamy wasn’t in the limousine, and when Octavia was asked, she clarified that they would meet her manager at the airport. For Clarke it would have been better if Bellamy didn't go to the party, he would have been one less person to watch out for, when she had to discreetly roam the mansion, looking for that evidence or information. 

But her hopes were dashed when Octavia confirmed that they would meet him at the airport, where they would fly to Long Island in a helicopter, that would transport them in a matter of minutes. That way they would avoid a long car trip, and horrible traffic at those times on the weekend.

Upon arriving at the embarkation point, they met Bellamy and a tall brown woman named Echo Azgueda, who would be his partner at the party and would spend the weekend at the Hamptons mansion as well. 

After everyone introduced themselves, they boarded the large and modern helicopter, which took them to their destination in a short time, after flying a bit over the Big Apple, or the famous New York City.

Clarke took some photographs from that height, under the watchful eye of Octavia sitting next to her, with whom she took some selfies, to please the model, who was already looking at Clarke somewhat surprised that she didn't already take photos of them together. 

Behind them sat Bellamy with his partner Echo, and in the last row was Raven, sitting next to Octavia's giant bodyguard, Niko. Luckily he was a nice man to chat. But Raven just wanted to sleep though, as her hangover was killing her. So after excuse herself with Niko, she leaned her head against the window and tried to get some sleep, even if it was a relatively short flight.

The trip was calm and in normal weather conditions, it was a beautiful sunny day in late summer, with an optimal temperature and little wind. When they reached Long Island, two vehicles were waiting to transport them to the mansion in the Hamptons, which they reached in ten minutes.

It was a huge mansion, of course, made up of three parts, and leading out onto the huge private beach. Upon entering the house, the butler informed Octavia and Bellamy that their sister Lexa had not yet arrived, and that she was expected to arrive later in the afternoon. 

The famous pianist had to conduct scheduled interviews in the city. Information that Lexa’s older siblings already knew, and that was precisely why they had arrived so early at the mansion, to prepare the party that would take place on the beach. Especially so their little genius sister wouldn't feel choked up with the guests. 

The people invited were mostly acquaintances of Octavia, and some of Bellamy, as well as some few old friends of Lexa who they had contacted. In between there were sisters Costia and Jennifer Wilder, who had moved to live in America a few years ago. 

The sisters Wilder had been Lexa's classmates in Switzerland. Jennifer was the same age as the pianist, and a model like Octavia, but so famous, and Costia two years older was studying English literature at the prestigious Yale University. 

The rest of the select group of friends of the youngest of the Woods, were in England and France, and although they had been contacted they had not been able to attend in such a short time.

After Octavia took Clarke and Raven on a short tour of the huge mansion, she showed them what their rooms would be. Octavia apologized that she would be busy for most of the day, and would leave them to settle in and enjoy the day, since she and Bellamy had to organize the people who prepared everything for the celebration party. 

The eldest of the Woods did the same with the young woman who accompanied him, and after introducing lawyer Echo Azgueda to the photographer and her assistant, he left them together after telling them to enjoy the mansion and its surroundings, which also had a huge pool, while he and his sister made sure everything was in order.

Clarke thought she might be able to snoop around the mansion a bit, but being in the company of Raven and that woman named Echo, who was accompanying Bellamy, who she had identified as also his companion at Lexa's concert, she had no choice but to wait until night. As long as the party was taking place with a lot of people, it would be ideal for her to sneak into the mansion and do a little checking.

In the meantime, Clarke discreetly scanned every corner of the house she was walking around, looking for security cameras, which there were quite a few, and which she would have to avoid when looking for evidence later. She also observed the group of security men and women that were deployed around the outside of the mansion, and also inside. Clarke came to the conclusion that this would be somewhat complicated for her plans, but she would still try, she simply had to.

Clarke spent the rest of the mid-morning with Raven and Echo walking around, and also on the beach, taking pictures and chatting animatedly. Echo Azgueda was a lawyer for a major real estate firm in New York, and she met Bellamy at a cafe that many lawyers usually attend days ago. 

Echo told them how Bellamy had approached her in the café, and they had hit it off right away. Then invited her to the theater to witness the concert of his famous younger sister, the pianist, that she didn’t think she will enjoy so much as she finally did. 

Clarke smiled to herself, how quickly Bellamy had gone looking for someone, after feeling defeated in the fight with his sister Octavia for her. Something that didn’t surprise her, nor did she care. Echo seemed like a very nice and friendly girl, but also seemed very interested in continuing a relationship with the manager if possible. 

The highest woman seemed to be one of those who were quite ambitious and driven by money and looks. And for some reason Clarke had certain negative thing with that woman, like she could sensed someone that acting very well. Clearly Echo Azgueda was having an agenda like her in that place or with that family, but Clarke didn’t imagine which may be, and she also didn’t really care.

After their delicious lunch, Echo and Raven decided to sunbathe by the huge pool that the mansion owned, while Clarke decided not to join them. She preferred to rest on the beach lying in a comfortable beach chair looking out at the ocean, something that always gave her a lot of calm.

At a certain point in the day, Octavia appeared accompanied by one of the maids and some glasses of delicious cold natural fruit juice. Of course, the model appeared wearing a tiny red bikini, and a matching silk robe, which she immediately took off under the watchful eye of the blonde. 

Clarke knew that Octavia was trying somehow to impress her, with her spectacular body, but she was not fazed, although she had to pretend to look surprised and interested. And she certainly did very well.

Octavia just sat back in the beach chair, asking Clarke if she would help her with the suntan lotion, of course, and she took off the bikini part that covered her breasts. 

Clarke couldn’t deny that Octavia Woods possessed a sculptural body, and that it would be interesting to possess it and make her groan. But honestly, the model didn't attract her at all. She knew she will need to fake a lot with her, and do it very convincing. The model looked someone without much intelligence but Octavia Woods was in fact a very intelligent woman, who knew very well how to managed all kind of people as she pleased.

Although Clarke had to admit that Octavia was subtly conquering her through friendship. Octavia kept talking about so many things, about her life and career, but she was interested in hearing more about the photographer. Even though she was persistent, Clarke managed to keep making her talk about herself and her family as well. That way she also learning about some other gossip and interesting details, which she could add her previous extensive investigation of that billionaire English-born family.

Also, Octavia took her time to explain the personality problem that her younger sister possessed. Or rather explain to Clarke about the stranger phobia called Haphephobia, which Lexa dealt with since she was a child. One that was mainly related to the irrational fear of physical contact with other people, or of being touched. 

This was something that surprised Clarke a lot, she had no idea that the famous pianist suffered from a phobia of that kind so stranger. Although it was logical that Lexa hid it from the public eye, she thought. The press and the fans could make her feel really very uncomfortable all the time, remaking her phobia, or feeling pity for her. Making her personality problem more relevant than her talent as a musician.

Octavia told her how difficult it had always been for them, Lexa’s family, to be able to hug or kiss her, and that although they could do it today, it wasn’t often, but rather very rarely. And for Octavia, it was even more difficult, because she was the exact opposite of Lexa. She was very open, outgoing and expressed her affection in a very physical way. Octavia liked to hug, kiss, caress, feel the beings she liked or loved.

Clarke imagined how difficult such a psychological problem would be for Lexa’s loved ones. Because it was not a common thing, and it must be hard for Lexa not being able to physically express feelings for her family, friends, or even partner. 

Octavia also told her that her sister was in treatment with a very good psychologist, which had helped her a lot in recent years, and that she had made great progress. So the family were very optimistic in that she could have a more normal life.

During Octavia's long talk about her younger sister, Clarke had taken an interest and even dared to ask her some rather intimate questions, which she had not been able to investigate about the pianist, such as if she had a partner, or if she ever had one, referring to that phobia she suffered from. This way Clarke learned about Lexa’s private life, which didn’t get reported by the press or talked about by the artist's fans.

Octavia didn’t suspect Clarke, but at the same time, after telling her about Lexa's rare phobia, and answered her questions, she clarified that she should never tell anyone. 

Octavia didn’t wanna sound mafia vendetta, but told the photographer very clear, that if she ever open her mouth about Lexa’s secret, she must know that she will have a powerful family over her, like a shadow, for the rest of her life. And wouldn’t be the most nice and peaceful one for sure. Even she could forget to reach a nice work ever again, no matter in which part of the world she will try, she won’t be able to get it. And Octavia also explained that she only shared that secret with her, because she don’t want Lexa have any uncomfortable and unexpected situation during the party.

Clarke didn’t felt intimidated by the model’s threats, but she understood the seriousness in the secret she must keep, and not for Octavia, but only for Lexa she will take it to her grave. Of course she didn’t said it aloud, just though into herself. Then she crossed her fingers on her chest, promising to be silent about Lexa’s private life, as well as on the subject of the phobia, which wasn’t known by her fans or the press.

Clarke had investigated and discovered that the personality of the pianist was very very special and strange. But non the press or her many many fans dare to try to find out why, they just accepted and respected her as she was. The photographer only could learned that Lexa was very introverted and that she didn't like being in crowded places, outside of her concerts, for which she kept a somewhat longer distance between the stage and what would be a front row in the audience. Clarke had confirmed it that night at the concert, that particularly detail, where she noticed that the first two rows were empty.

That was a very interesting discovery about Clarke’s favorite pianist, a detail that partly surprised her, and she immediately tried to put into perspective what it would be like to try to kiss someone like that, or even caress their skin, or hug, much less make love with her. 

But her thoughts were interrupted by the continuation of Octavia's story, which was indeed a magnificent source of information, and it partly surprised Clarke that she had such confidence in her, when they hardly knew each other. If the model knew really who she was put her trust in, she would die right there. 

Clarke couldn’t avoid a maleficent smile cross her mind. Although the truth was she didn’t really care about all what Octavia was sharing with her. She only needed her to reach to her real interest, free access to the mansions, and looking for those documents. Then find out where the hell was hiding that motherfucker murder of the Woods patriarch. Because the man was vanished now for a very long time.

But Clarke couldn’t denied that she was more than interesting, in keep listened the model talking about her small genius talented pianist sister. Octavia told her that as far as she knew, Lexa hadn't had a partner, and that when they brought it up, Lexa always refused to say a word. 

Clarke half-believed her, but it could be if she was such an introvert, that her private life was kept even from her own family. Although after listened about her rare and such phobia, she had her suspicions that for sure, the famous Alexandra Woods was a beautiful virgin woman. She didn’t want to continue inquiring more about her, stoping asking questions, so that the model wouldn’t suspect her great interest in the young pianist.

Octavia, after explaining about Lexa, as that's what the family called her and her few friends, told Clarke that she had explained her about Lexa’s special personality, so that she knew what kind of person she would meet later during the party. 

More than anything so that Clarke wouldn’t be surprised to stand with her hand outstretched, waiting to be shaken by her sister, who probably wouldn’t shake her hand. Or that she wouldn’t even think of getting too close to her, invading her personal space. 

As well as not expecting to have a long talk with Lexa, since she spoke very few words, or gave short answers, and wasn’t very sociable. Clarke would probably see her at the party for a very short time. The model hoped that her sister wouldn’t retire shortly after arriving, as she always used to.

Clarke thanked Octavia very much for the confidence and the trust she was giving her with all that information about Lexa, assuring her that she wouldn’t say a single word to anyone, and that she would keep in mind the details she explained when introducing her that night.

Just thinking about finally meeting the pianist in person was something that Clarke could feel the excitement growing inside herself. Soon she would see Lexa up close, see her face, and those green eyes that she had even dreamed of, or drawn several times with. 

The performer of those melodies that penetrated Clarke’s soul, in a unique and melodious way, as if caressing her interior. Conveying so much peace to her at the same time, it made her somewhat nervous and tense. For a moment she had taken refuge there in front of the ocean, to calm her anxieties a little. She would finally meet Lexa Woods, and she hoped her kind of silly fascination with her wouldn't betray her, and wouldn’t distract her too much from her initial plan.

Later, the exclusive guests began to arrive little by little, in truth there were not too many, Clarke would say, maybe 25 people, in addition to the Woods siblings, Bellamy's partner, Echo, herself, and her boss Raven. 

The sunset over the horizon was really beautiful, painting the sky in warm colors, reddish, orange, and purple. Clarke was fascinated taking some photos, when she noticed movements in the security of the mansion, imagined that the famous pianist had arrived. 

She saw a tall blonde woman dressed in a dark suit and white shirt appear at the door of the mansion that overlooked the beach. She was truly a breathtaking woman, Clarke could say. Her camera was still in her hand, so she discreetly took some shots of that woman, who was immediately approached by Octavia, and together they entry the house again.

Clarke figured the tall blonde could be the woman in charge of the security team, or perhaps Lexa’s bodyguard, because she hadn't seen her at the mansion before. She was tempted to follow the woman with the excuse of using the bathroom, and leaving her camera in her room. 

But she restrained herself since she didn’t want to attract attention, especially if that woman was in charge of security. Clarke had to be very careful with her movements, she told herself, when a voice suddenly interrupted her deliberations.

\- Yes, my little sister, the famous pianist has finally arrived… - Bellamy commented subtly behind Clarke surprising her a bit.

\- What? Oh, Bellamy... sorry I was a bit distracted.

\- No problem Clarke… I'm sorry I surprised you. Would you like to walk for a bit? - suggested Bellamy with his conquering smile.

\- Don't you have to go say hi to your sister?

\- Not at the moment, it is enough when O attacks her with her excessive love. Plus, she just came in from doing interviews all day. I assure you that her humor is not the best. She will need time to recover. I imagine that O has told you about her little problem with being in contact with people.

\- Yes, she did. It must be hard to live with a problem like that. Especially for you and your family.

\- It is, but come on, let's walk a bit, the sunset is great.

\- Ok, let's go.

Clarke didn't understand what the hell the lawyer and manager of the model wanted, but she suspected that he was either trying to keep pushing her, to see if he could win her over from his sister. Or to investigate her a bit, since she was a perfect stranger, too close to the model, and he wasn’t only her brother but her manager. 

So Clarke was mentally preparing for any of the possibilities, noticing in the distance, how Bellamy's partner looked at them with a not very happy face, drinking from a glass of champagne. Clarke wished she had told Echo not to worry, since Bellamy wasn’t in her plans of any kind. But Clarke only gave her a sidelong glance and kept walking.

\- Why did you come Clarke? - Bellamy suddenly blurted out as if it was nothing, surprising Clarke, who stopped in her tracks immediately and faced him with a frown.

\- Excuse…? What do you mean by that question...?

\- I know that my sister O is quite interested in you, but I imagine you know that she has no interest beyond having a good time with you, right?

\- I don't think this is necessary. I came because I was invited by your sister, and the interest she has in me is her business, not yours. Better take care of your professional career, I don't think your sister needs your help in her personal life. Octavia is a big girl who knows what she wants and who she messes with. Now if you'll excuse me.

Clarke had moved closer to Bellamy's face who was a little taller than her and pierced him with her intense blue eyes. The stupid overprotective attitude of the older brother bothered her a lot. 

Even though she understood, and yes, it was logical to try to find what she was doing there with his sister, Bellamy had crossed the line. After saying that to his face, Clarke turned on her bare heels in the sand to return to the mansion.

\- Hey… - Bellamy grabbed Clarke's arm suddenly so that she wouldn't walk away, and the look the blonde gave him he could feel in every part of his being. If looks could kill, he would already be dead, the lawyer thought with a frown.

\- I don’t know what you are looking for with my sister, but don’t think that you will get more than one night of fun with her, and this is it, so you better enjoy it while it lasts.

\- First, let go of me - Clarke removed Bellamy’s hand from her arm herself with a quick movement, and then approached the man again with two steps, without taking her intense eyes directly from his. - You don't seem to like being a loser Bellamy. And not only are you rude, and you go overboard, but you are sad to be Octavia’s shadow. At least I know I'm going to have fun with someone better. And by the way, who the hell told you I'm looking for something serious, or something like that? I don't need anything from her, or you, or your family.

Clarke took one last look at him and simply walked off back to the mansion, where the party continued. Halfway down a corridor of the mansion, a figure surprised Clarke by emerging from the shadows. It was a young woman with dark blond hair, and quite tall, wearing a blue strappy dress, who looked at her with a faint smile, slowly approaching her, with her arms crossed over her chest.

\- Don't listen to him, Bellamy always feels that he has to protect his sisters excessively... yup, a totally jerk! - Commented the young woman, stopping in front of Clarke.

\- Excuse me, how…? - Clarke didn’t understand how the young woman hadn’t only witnessed her dispute with Bellamy, but also heard what they spoke. She wondered if this was perhaps a ghost… her skin prickled.

\- Oh sorry, it wasn't my intention to listen to what you were talking about, but you passed me by without being noticed, and I listened to part of the conversation… I’m Costia Wilder, an old friend of the family… Well, a friend of Lexa. And you are…? - Costia reached out to shake Clarke’s hand with a sweet smile on her face.

\- Clarke Griffin, I came here with Octavia. And regarding Bellamy, I'm glad to know that it's nothing personal... - Clarke shook Costia’s hand immediately, as she felt a chill run down her spine, without really understanding why, since Costia seemed someone very sweet and gentle, as well as pretty.

\- Oh no, ignore him, he gets heavy-handed and idiotic sometimes, and it can even be a bummer, especially when you don't give into him.

\- It seems that something happened to you with him.  
\- Let's say something like that, but nothing really important, and was long time ago. If you don't mind Clarke, we can walk back to the party together.

\- Yes, sure, no problem.

Despite appearing so sympathetic and naive, Clarke didn't feel comfortable with Costia, appearing out of nowhere from the shadows, and overhearing her conversation with Lexa’s brother. 

But it was interesting to know that she was an old friend of the pianist. After introducing herself and talking a bit, Clarke had liked Costia a little better. Still, her instincts told her to watch out for her. Costia told her that she was studying English Literature at Yale University, and that both, she and her sister Jennifer, a model like Octavia, had moved from England to the United States a few years ago. Also that her sister couldn’t make it go the party, because she was in Paris working.

Clarke only told Costia that she was Canadian, and that she worked as an assistant to photographer Raven Reyes. Adding that she had met the Woods siblings at the photoshoot during the week, and that Octavia had invited her and Raven to the party in honor of her younger sister, the famous pianist.

When they got back to the center of the party, Clarke wanted to go inside the mansion, and leave her camera in the room. Maybe she could also look around a bit here and there, like someone lost in the huge house. 

Octavia was very entertained at the party with her friends and acquaintances, a little intoxicated Clarke would say, apparently not missing her date very much, because she didn’t see that Octavia was looking for her with her eyes. 

She apologized to the gentle Costia, and went into the mansion under the watchful eye of the young woman, who smiled sideways at her after nodding her head.

As soon as she entered the mansion, Clarke ran into the security woman who had arrived with Lexa and her people. It was something of a surprise and the tall woman simply looked at her from above, blocking her path, as if she were an insect. 

The height difference meant that Clarke was just barely level with the woman’s shoulder. The blonde raised her eyes to confront her, and show her that she wasn't intimidating her in the least, but was just annoyingly blocking her path.

\- Excuse me... - Clarke said, trying to evade her to continue on her way, but the woman took a step to the side stopping her again.

\- Are you one of the guests at the party, miss? - Asked the woman with a very British tone of voice, looking at her seriously. Clarke returned her gaze with a raised eyebrow.

\- Let's say I wouldn't be here if I wasn’t. - Clarke answered annoyed.

\- Could you please provide your name?

\- Clarke Griffin. And you…?

\- Personal safety of the Woods family.

\- Yes, so I imagine, I was referring to your name. If I’m to give you mine I think it is normal to ask you yours.

\- Terry, can you check Clarke Griffin's name against the guest list?

The woman moved a few inches away as she spoke into her microphone built into her lapel, after pressing a small button. It was when Clarke decided she had enough of the woman and her scrutiny. 

Without wasting a second she moved to continue on her way. But after taking a step, the woman's hand grabbed her arm, and…. Now two people had grabbed her arm on the same night, in a matter of a few minutes, and Clarke's blood boiled. 

The problem was that the woman was the head of security, so it was convenient for her to keep a low profile, even if she wanted to put her against the wall holding her neck. 

Clarke partly understood that it was her job, and somehow she liked that Lexa was so protected. When fame is so great, it usually attracts a certain number of crazy people or fans who become obsessive with the celebrities. And for some reason she frowned thinking of herself as obsessive, knowing it was true. Anyway, now she had to deal with not saying a few things to that woman, even if she was really pretty and so attractive. If the circumstances were different….

\- Please wait a moment, Miss Griffin. I must check your name is on the list that the family has provided us.

\- Heavens…. Ask Octavia for me, she has invited me if you want to confirm. Miss…? - Clarke answered somewhat annoyed, but she held herself back as she didn't want the woman to mark her as problematic.

\- Broughton…. - The woman answered when she heard her partner's voice in her ear with Griffin's confirmation as a guest. She raised one of her hands to Clarke to ask her to wait for her. 

\- Yes Terry... fine, thank you.

\- Excuse me, I didn't mean to stop you like that, Miss Griffin. It is that we must be sure that someone who isn’t on the list has infiltrated the party.

\- Yeah sure, I get it… Miss Broughton?

\- Yes, that's right… Good evening, Miss Griffin.

\- Good night to you too, although I'm just going to leave my camera in my room. The party is in full swing and the guest of honor has not yet appeared. - Clarke explained in a more relaxed and friendly way, trying to show a slight smile.

\- Miss Woods will do it when she's ready. Now if you'll excuse me, I must continue working.

\- Yes, of course, I won’t stop you anymore.

\- Please keep enjoying the party, Miss Griffin.

\- Thank you, I will, Miss Broughton.

Clarke walked away toward the stairs that led to the first and second floors of the mansion. Her room was at the first one, although it seemed a labyrinth of how huge that house was. She had studied it for a couple of days in her apartment, through satellite images that she could obtain from her computer. 

Clarke had specialized in many areas for her investigation about the murder of her father, among them the internet and she became an expert hacker. Although she wasn’t interested in being one, she only used what she had learned to gather information, and be able to reach the culprits or responsible for giving the order of her father’s brutal murder.

The Wood’s mansion in the Hamptons had so many rooms that Clarke could not determine which could be Titus Woods's, or his office where she could obtain some information on his businesses. Maybe Clarke could find out if he had a safe where he stored documents. 

Clarke entered her room, leaving the camera on the bed, and sat on it for a few minutes to relax, between the jerk Bellamy, then the mysterious Costia and for the icing on the cake, the attractive head of security for the Woods, Miss Broughton, she needed a moment to calm down and think. Clarke laid back over the bed, there in the dark, staring at the white ceiling above her, breathing deeply, slowly calming herself down.

Clarke was quite upset with that unpleasant conversation with the overprotective older brother. She had wanted to give him a knee to his genitals, idiot. Although it only confirmed that her choice of Octavia had doubtlessly been the best for her plans. It would have been a lot more difficult with that guy, even if she would have made it up with a good night of sex, surely. Something that would probably happen with the model, because that Clarke could know for sure was coming.

Clarke also had to recognize that the model was behaving like a lady, and not only showed her attention, and handled herself with care, and almost only as a good friend. Octavia had also given her the dress and shoes she was wearing for the party. A fine white dress, flared from the waist, quite short, and adjusted to the body, from the waist to the blonde's large breasts, which stood out even more due to the large neckline. It was very sensual, it fitted Clarke perfectly, and it was also keeping the model interested in her.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the characteristic sound of the piano. Immediately Clarke sat up on the bed and stayed there feeling her heart race, while the sound of a melody reached her ears like a balm, like a caress. She closed her eyes for an instant and bit her lips. She knew very well who was playing that instrument. Clarke enjoyed it for a moment, feeling every note of that beautiful theme, The Serenade, by Schubert, in a version that only Lexa Woods could interpret.

Clarke didn’t hold back and left the room in search of that pianist. She knew she was risking losing her concentration, but she just couldn't not go to the room where the melody was coming from. 

She walked down the corridors, looking into the rooms she passed, discreetly opening doors and looking in, but nothing. Until she finally got to the one she was looking for, the door was open, and slowly peeked in the room to find the lovely image.

Finally, there she was… illuminated by the many burning candles in the great hall. Lexa was concentrating on the keys of that huge black Steinway and Son’s grand piano. 

She was next to what looked like a balcony, with two open doors, through which that sea breeze penetrated, which played with her long and silky brown hair, causing her rose perfume to mix with that salty aroma of the ocean, reaching Clarke's nostrils, slowly invading her senses. 

Lexa wore a tight and very sexy short blue dress without sleeves, exposing those perfect shoulders of that ivory white skin. Clarke, feeling its aphrodisiac perfume, closed her eyes for an instant, absorbing the essence, and letting the music penetrate all her senses.

Clarke was simply intoxicated by the softness in which those talented fingers caressed the keys, of that fine and well-known piano, executing that beautiful Schubert melody, interpreted in such a delicate and masterful way. She couldn’t contain herself from opening her eyes again, and watching Lexa, she was so beautiful, so delicate in her movements. Those hands, those fingers moving so subtly over the keys. It was a dangerous very enchanted image where Clarke was losing herself in it.

Clarke knew she was in trouble, in serious trouble, when the scent of the prestigious pianist's white skin and hair washed over her, in the way it was doing. It was as if they penetrated her soul, as well as her music. 

She wished she had her camera to film her, and although Clarke had her phone, she didn’t dare even move her fingers. She was captivated, fascinated with the scene, with the music, with HER... She just stood there at the door hypnotized by the wonderful and romantic image of that young, talented, enigmatic, and beautiful girl.

At the end of the theme, after Lexa stroked the last key, Clarke was lost in a sea of internal sensations and knew she was definitely in serious trouble.

\- Schubert sure would love to hear your version... 

Clarke spoke in a very subtle voice, almost as if it came from her heart that was beating fast before she could stop herself. At the same time, she inadvertently took a step into the large room, which seemed like a library. The pianist's eyes immediately lifted looking for the owner of that melodious, and somewhat deep voice, which had surprised her.

\- Who are you? - Lexa asked something dryly, looking at Clarke who dared to take two more steps into the room, but carefully, remembering that the pianist was not too sociable. She didn't want to upset or scare her.

\- I'm Clarke, a friend of Octavia. You must be her... - Clarke tried to sound as friendly as possible, but without moving from her place, noticing that Lexa had become tense with her approach.

Lexa didn’t remove her green eyes from Clarke’s, it seemed that they spoke to her as they did from those photos she had seen on the internet. But there, in person, they were even more beautiful and more expressive. And Clarke would swear they spoke a very special language, which she could almost dare to decipher if she gave it a little time.

Clarke was used to reading stares, understanding that very especial silent language, with her wolf pack friends, more than anything else. Those precious green emeralds, which seemed to penetrate her in those moments, curious, and somewhat fearful, but intense, she could understand them like she knew them for a long time, so clear and aloud. 

Clarke needed to focus, she repeated in her mind, with the last trace of reason she had right now. The truth was, she didn’t want to show her excessive admiration/fascination, in front of the pianist who now raised an eyebrow, changing her gaze to one that could be said to be disturbed, and perhaps a little annoyed.

\- The party is on the beach - Lexa said with a serious face, and a tense jaw. Although her gaze was not rude or angry, but warm and curious.

\- Yes, I know, I was looking for the bathroom and passing by here I heard you play and... - Clarke cursed herself for such a childish excuse, especially when noticing how those eyes had reacted. Now they seemed somewhat calmer and even more smiling, making it clear that Lexa hadn't believed a word. But something told Clarke that her favorite pianist had liked her.

\- The second door on the left. - Lexa replied without taking her eyes off her, still intense, but somewhat warmer and more friendly. Clarke couldn't stop staring into those eyes, as if she was lost somewhere in that enchanted forest and couldn't react, or think clearly. She was in serious trouble, Clarke told herself.

\- Sorry, what did you say? - Clarke cursed herself internally, she couldn't act like a secret admirer to her idol, could she? It was so embarrassing, her stupid attitude in front of Lexa... "Fuck Clarke! You can't be so transparent, you idiot, get your shit together..."

\- The bathroom... - The pianist only added, barely curving her lips and raising one of her eyebrows, pointed now with one of her large fingers to the side where Clarke should walk out of that room.

\- Oh... yeah, sure... thank you. You play very beautifully... Congratulations on... - Clarke went out of her way again and continued with that admiring silly attitude and her idol.

Lexa must have liked it, especially when reading those reactions in the green eyes, which each time seemed more smiling, who even seemed to undress her. Now Lexa’s lips were also curving, for the first time, looking down slightly, and those cheeks were turning a little hot pink.

\- It's rude to snoop around other people's houses... Clarke... - Lexa simply said, turning her eyes to the piano keys again. Upon hearing her name spoken by Lexa's voice, remarking the K at the end of her name, in such special, made Clarke's entire body shake. Nobody had pronounced her name that way and she already stupidly love it.

She could feel her silly heart pounding so hard, she could swear Lexa could hear it. She tried to calm down, but it was seriously almost impossible. Clarke was so screwed, she told herself regretfully... When she finally reacted to what Lexa had said, accusing her of snooping around the house, which was partly true, but she wasn't even going to accept that accusation.

\- Wait… What...?! No, I... no… - Clarke panicked a bit as if she had suddenly felt completely naked in front of the pianist. She needed to refocus or she would be in trouble.

Lexa's lips subtly curved to one side again, clearly enjoyed that moment. Her hands delicately positioned themselves on the keys, beginning to play a new piece which cut off Clarke's attempted excuse, and she lost herself in the sound of the notes of the composition Lexa was now playing.

Without saying more, Clarke nodded her head somewhat embarrassed, not only for interrupting her, but for being discovered by the beautiful pianist, in her real business. 

But after taking a step and paying attention to the ballad Lexa was playing, she stopped. It was a song that Clarke never imagined she would hear on the piano, much less interpreted by someone like Lexa. It was none other than Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes”.

Clarke slowly turned to look at the pianist, who just kept playing that song, and she was just smiling almost mischievously, she would say, even Clarke could swear that Lexa was biting her lower lip discreetly, like a naughty girl she was being. 

Was she playing that song because of some reference to her eyes? Nah... her senseless mind pushed her out of her silly spell, and to get out of there immediately before she made a huge mistake.

So she turned around to head for the door again. But suddenly she was met with the serious face of none other than Octavia. Clarke was shocked, she was so stupidly focused on Lexa, and how weak and foolish she made her feel, that she hadn't noticed her older sister coming in. Clarke immediately brought her left hand to her chest and her eyes widened in shock.

The model looked at her somewhat strangely, she wasn’t drunk as she seemed to be at the party, and now she raised an eyebrow as if she was studying her in detail. 

Clarke couldn't determine if she was angry, but she was shaking inside, although she didn't show it, and she hoped she hadn't screwed up, while in the background Lexa continued to perform “Ocean Eyes”….


	5. Chapter 5

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Lexa was having one of those very heavy days and too stressful for her mind. Despite the techniques that her psychologist, Madison, had taught her to cope with those days when she had to attend to the damn press, sometimes it was too much.

Even though Anya tried to keep Lexa’s interviews with the press sparse, few and short, some had crossed the line of her patience by making the interviews much longer than she would have liked.

When Anya saw that Lexa’s hands were shaking and her responses began to be somewhat erratic, or she simply kept silent, looking at some fixed point on the wall behind the interviewer or journalist, that was when the manager said enough for that day. Even though there were still some media to enter that large hotel suite in New York, where they were staying and where they received the press.

To top it all, Lexa was having some trouble adjusting to the new bodyguard Lorraine Broughton, and all the changes she had made to the security team, as well as the procedures that had to be carried out at each location she attended. 

Since joining Lexa’s security team on the Paris's concert, Lexa, unfortunately, didn’t like the woman very much. It was as if she took everything in her hands, and wanted to change absolutely everything Lexa did, and how she did it. Also, the bodyguard was two meters from her at all times, like a big annoying fly, no matter what Lexa was doing or where she was.

Anya tried to mediate between the two, because Lexa began to refuse to cooperate with the changes that Lorraine was trying to impose on her. It was not an easy task for the manager, and it still wasn't. 

Even though Lexa was aware that she needed more protection, she felt that woman was drowning her. She felt as if the air around her was reduced, and she was irritated all the time with her presence, even when Broughton was doing it to protect her.

And for what?, Lexa wondered irritably, after so much change, when that damn red rose flew onto the stage at the first concert in New York, causing Lexa to lose focus on her performance and even skipping a note. It wasn't overly obvious, but to many in her audience it surely had been, and Lexa hated it with all her might. She never ever had skipped a note in a concert.

After the concert that night, when Lexa returned to the dressing room, she had an intense argument with the new bodyguard and head of security, in the presence of Anya. Lexa was furious, hysterical, and in an almost panic attack. She needed to go out there feeling safe, and not in fear that at the next concert the crazy man or woman was going to put a bullet in her head, or whatever.

In Paris this "Jason" had left another one of those threatening notes, not very different from the one in Vienna. Lexa had figured out that the person writing the notes was clearly a female, left-handed, and that she probably knew her, even if it sounded crazy. 

She didn’t want to discuss her conclusions or strong suspicions with Anya or that new bodyguard Lorraine, but Lexa did begin to do a possible review of women she knew from the past. Someone who had possibly fallen in love with her, without Lexa knowing it or having realized it, and felt rejected perhaps.

From what the pianist remembered, none of her friends or acquaintances ever declared that they were in love with her, and Lexa had not noticed that any of her friends started acting differently, or even giving her any sign of being in love with her. 

It was strange, but Lexa could feel that this woman knew her, and she wanted to find out herself. She didn’t want Lorraine Broughton to investigate every woman who ever crossed her life, and she didn’t want to upset anyone, much less her very few friends.

That Saturday, unfortunately, Lexa had a series of interviews planned, and a photo session too, for the famous Rolling Stones magazine. But before she could get to the photos, Anya ended the interviews for the day after noticing Lexa’s state of physical and especially mental fatigue. 

To top it all, one of the stupid journalists had shaken her hand and pulled her in to place a kiss on her cheek as if nothing else. An act that caused Lexa to snap out of the journalist’s grip, and the momentum made her almost topple, had it not been for Lorraine. The bodyguard moved immediately to help Lexa not fall, but obviously, to achieve this she couldn’t help but hold her before she fell to the ground, and that infuriated the pianist even more. Lexa let go of her bodyguard's grip too.

Anya had to ask the journalists who were still waiting to come in and do their interview after Lexa had a break, in addition to the idiot who had made such a mistake in touching Lexa. And obviously, Anya had to clarify to the rest of the press, that they were not allowed to shake hands with Alexandra Woods. 

More than one of the journalists looked at the manager with surprise, without understanding the hysteria of the young pianist, but the manager limited herself to clarify that those were the terms of the interviews if they still wanted to do them or they could leave.

Meanwhile, Lexa in her room was shaking like a leaf, nervously walking around the suite, then stopping in front of the window and trying the breathing methods. Which Madison, her psychologist, had taught her to overcome these kinds of moments. Lexa had advised Anya and Lorraine that she needed time alone in her room to stabilize herself, and to be able to complete the rest of the interviews.

Lexa was someone very responsible and whenever she committed to something she wanted to fulfill it, as well as being aware of how important it was to attend to the press. Unfortunately, it was part of her professional career being such a world-renowned artist. 

The photo shoot she had to carry out, was for the renowned Rolling Stones magazine. The editors of the prestigious American magazine wanted her to be the cover of the next issue, as the young woman who revolutionized the world of classical music at the height equal to that of a rock star.

Lexa had no problem with photo shoots, they were a little easier for her than speaking to the press and answering the same stupid questions, over and over again, or when the journalists wanted her to elaborate on her answers. 

Luckily Anya was always by her side and many times she got her out of trouble, or spoke of as an intermediary between her and the journalist when they got tiresome. Lexa had her days and moments too, so it was never easy. But that Saturday had been too much, and she didn't think she would be able to carry on with many more interviews, and then go to a photoshoot.

After almost an hour and a half, which Lexa managed to calm down with a lot of effort, she called Anya and Lorraine, and returned to the room where the interviews were taking place, but with the condition that there would be only three more and they would end for the day, canceling also the photo session. Anya didn’t curse Lexa, she understood her more than anyone and immediately assured her that she would fix everything without problems.

The bodyguard Lorraine studied the young pianist very closely, observed how Lexa interacted with her manager, with strangers, and with situations. Lorraine slowly began to understand how her protégé worked, dealing with that strange phobia.

Lorraine had read everything she could, when she was assigned to be the new personal bodyguard of the famous pianist Alexandra Woods, as well as the head of security for the tour. Without a doubt this was a real challenge, taking care of someone like Lexa. 

In her years of protecting mostly political figures, and the occasional celebrity, she had never had a case like this. And it was not easy for her to come to terms with the young woman, who she knew didn’t like her very well, making her job quite complicated and she had to constantly resort to different options.

Besides, Lorraine was furious that the stalker of the young artist had made a new move, with that damn rose that she had thrown onto the stage from a nearby balcony, without her and her security personnel being able to do something to stop it. 

So she had already told the rest of the security team to check each person in the audience before they entered the concerts. No one wouldn’t be allowed to enter the theater or venue where one of Lexa’s concerts would take place, with any type of flower. Lorraine knew that the stalker would continue to make their moves differently, but still, she least could rule out that they would bother her protégé when she was on stage.

Lorraine also needed Alexandra Woods not to decide to remove her from her position, from her side, she needed to continue there in that position, to have access to the places where the pianist entered. Especially in the Woods family mansions. 

She had another job besides taking care of Lexa, and she had to do it with exact precision, and in total secrecy, of course. So the bodyguard needed to reach an agreement with the young woman, make a truce with her, and try to respect her spaces and times. 

Lorraine need it to get to know her more thoroughly, so as not to make foolish mistakes, noting how easy it was for the pianist to lose patience, or to enter in a panic attack. Lexa’s phobia was something extreme, thought the bodyguard, and she felt sorry for the talented pianist, thinking that it wouldn’t be easy for her to cope with such a problem, especially with her loved ones, friends or even in her private life.

Anya couldn’t travel to the Hamptons’s mansion with Lexa, as she had to arrange new interviews for the press that she had canceled, and also rearrange the photoshoot with the Rolling Stone magazine. So she conveyed to Lexa that she would see her later at the mansion, when she finished rearranging everything. Her cousin nodded in reply before getting into the limousine that would transport her to the airport with her bodyguard.

Anya noticed that Lexa was very exhausted and angry, and she knew that even the day had not ended for the young woman. Lexa still had to go to that mansion and attend a party in her honor, which she didn't want to. But Anya also knew that Lexa wouldn’t disappoint her beloved sister Octavia, who always showed her enormous affection like her brother Bellamy, although he was somewhat calmer.

The manager felt sorry for Lexa, seeing her in that state of exhaustion and having to endure that damn party. Anya asked Lexa if she wanted her to speak to Octavia, to apologize to the people who would attend. But Lexa refused outright, despite her tiredness, and said that she only needed some time alone in her room, and when she was ready she would go down to meet her sister, and briefly meet the guests.

So as soon as she entered the mansion, Lexa went to her room, took a relaxing bath for a few minutes, and after leaving it she did some meditation, and breathing work, and then finally got dressed, put on a little makeup, and simply fixed her hair, and then finally went into one of the rooms, where the library and the piano that had belonged to her grandmother was located.

Playing the piano Lexa relax even more, it was part of her without a doubt, and she used it to get away from reality and overcome her phobia a bit. Music was always an extraordinary therapy. 

She had opened the doors to the small balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean beyond. At that time, a beautiful full moon was shining radiantly, surrounded by a blanket of stars. Lexa breathed in that salty aroma of the sea that was always a great aphrodisiac that she adored.

After a few minutes of enjoying the sound of the sea in the distance, that magical moon, and the sea breeze penetrating her senses, Lexa looked down to where the party in her honor was already in full swing. She saw some familiar faces, and others completely unfamiliar at least to her. Almost immediately, she was struck by seeing her older brother walk away a bit from the party with a blonde who Lexa couldn't get a good look at her face, but was probably some new girl that Bell was dating.

Lexa followed them with her eyes out of curiosity, noticing that they immediately stopped and seemed to be having a kind of discussion. She even noticed that unpleasant grip of her brother on the blonde, which she didn’t like, and the blonde woman clearly didn’t either, and she understood her. 

She hated when people acted that way, and if it had been her, needless to say, she would have panicked and would have been slapped Bell, even if he was her brother.

Lexa kept paying attention to the scene, she liked how the blonde freed herself from Bellamy’s grip, and then confronted him, then left him alone as she turned and walked away. The pianist followed the woman with her curious eyes, noticing that the blonde was surprised by none other than Costia, her old classmate and friend from school. It had been a long time since she had seen her, she didn’t even remember when the last time was.

Costia looked beautiful in that blue strappy dress, and her hair was as Lexa remembered it. It caught her attention a bit, as Costia was talking to the blonde, and looking towards Bellamy, who had walked away on the beach. Costia was surely calming the blonde in some way, she always was good managing people’s states. 

Lexa remembered how close she had been to Costia Wilder, since they had met at that Swiss school boarding school. But there was something about Costia that Lexa could never really finish figuring out. One thing was certain, she was one of her few friends who understood her phobia and always, like Anya, had tried to defend and protected her from others during those school days. 

When Lexa’s father had withdrawn her from boarding school and she returned to Bly Manor in England, she lost contact with Costia personally, but they kept in touch via emails and sometimes even wrote letters. Until Costia finished school and returned home as well, and they met again when Lexa was 12 and Costia 14.

For Lexa, Costia Wilder had always been just a good close friend, she had never awakened anything beyond that, even when Lexa’s hormones were in full swing, and she had concluded that she liked women. 

That she wanted to kiss some of them, and she even often lost herself in female bodies, with some butterflies in her stomach. It also came to Lexa’s mind that after a birthday party, Costia had started to stay away from her, beginning to avoid her, or always having excuses to not see each other. 

She remembered that at that party, her brother Bellamy was quite attracted to Costia, and she could swear that those two were going to end up together one day. Costia had commented to Lexa several times how handsome her brother Bell was. Lexa always joked with her saying that if she liked old men, go ahead, she would have no problems, and Costia always rolling her eyes and changing subject.

Lexa remembered that at one point, she had dared to confess to Costia that she liked girls, even with the enormous fear that her friend would run away. But Costia simply gave her tremendous support and understanding, and it never made any difference to their friendship. 

So Lexa could never understand what happened after that 16th birthday party of hers. Also, soon after the party, Costia and her younger sister Jennifer, who became a model like Octavia, had moved to the United States.

For Lexa, her career as a pianist had grown so much that she was hardly ever in England anymore. So somehow it didn't surprise her that Costia walked away. But even so, Lexa always had that question, why did Costia distance herself from her. Because even though the internet existed and many possibilities to stay in touch in some way, the young woman simply disappeared from Lexa’s life.

After years of Lexa not seeing or knowing much about Costia, there she was again, attending the party in Lexa’s honor, and somehow made her smile when she saw her. 

Costia had transformed into a beautiful woman, without a doubt, and a very attractive one, she would say. Lexa wouldn’t have imagined meeting her again, but there she was, her dear old friend apparently making new friends, like with that blonde who Costia was walking back to the mansion together.

There was also something that caught Lexa’s attention, and it was that when Costia separated from the blonde, she stared at her with a particularly look in her eyes, Lexa would say. Somewhere between fascinated and curious, even giving her a quick look from top to bottom, checking on that blonde woman, something that surprised Lexa a lot. 

She immediately wondered if her old friend became a lesbian or bisexual perhaps. Lexa was not going to miss the opportunity to catch up with her, as soon as she could. She hoped Costia would stay at the mansion for the night, so maybe they could talk the next day and not in the middle of a laudy party.

On the other hand, Lexa had been struck by that blonde with whom her brother had argued, and with whom had struck up a conversation with Costia. She understood her old friend if she had been attracted to that woman, since she looked quite pretty. That white dress she was wearing, looked great on her, adjusted at the top marking those curves she had, and flared but short at the bottom, revealing perfect legs. Lexa could tell since they were very stylized.

Lexa smirked as she wondered now who the pretty blonde was. Her curiosity grew rapidly as she still watched her. She seemed likable, and somehow Lexa had liked how she had confronted Bell. The blonde seemed like a woman of character, and that was what Lexa liked. 

But when she lost sight of her, her eyes lifted to the sky once more, breathing in that wonderful smell of the sea for a few more seconds. Then, putting away all her presumptions, curiosities, and plans, she entered the room again, and after lighting a few candles, that were always a good complement to harmonize the environment, she sat down in front of the beautiful piano. 

Lexa proceeded to open the lid, stroking the keys as she always did, an old tradition that was very personal, as if asking permission from the beautiful instrument to grant her the honor of being played by her hands. It seemed ridiculous, but Lexa’s connection with the instrument was very special, and she always carried it out. She smiled slightly as she began to perform one of her favorite Schubert pieces, Serenade.

When Lexa finished playing she didn’t realize that the beautiful blonde in the white dress was standing there in that room, surprising her with that somewhat deep voice, giving her compliments on her interpretation of the Serenade from Schubert. 

In other circumstances, Lexa would have dedicated the piece to her without problems. Seeing her suddenly there, the pianist could see that the woman was even more beautiful than she could see from the distance. Her incredible par of pretty and very expressive blue eyes, were staring at her in such especial way, that immediately made Lexa shiver her whole being, and the world stopped around her. Lexa didn’t know who she was, but only though that the mysterious woman was simply magnificent.

But Lexa’s phobia appeared immediately, after that first fascination of a few seconds, when the beautiful blonde took a couple of steps dangerously inside the room approaching her. 

Lexa didn't know if she knew about her problem, which normally people didn't know, because it wasn’t on the public knowledge, and to top it off she was alone. Lexa hoped she wasn't going to get more close to her, because she didn't want to be nasty or fearful, looking so weirdo before the pretty lady. 

So she tried to control herself by concentrating on those beautiful blue eyes, that seemed to communicate with her somehow. It was as if the blonde unbelievably understood their silent language, and it shocked Lexa, and she liked it at the same time, causing some butterflies to fly in her stomach in surprise. She could feel how her fear had suddenly turned to desire, and it was the first time it had happened with a stranger.

Also, Lexa’s mind soon told her to be careful, since she didn’t know who this woman was, or who she was at that party with. Also, somehow she didn't understand what the hell that pretty woman was doing on that side of the mansion, which was normally reserved only for family. 

Guests were always accommodated in the other wing of the huge house. So Lexa didn't really know, if she had gotten lost in some way, or was snooping around without permission. Maybe she was a beautiful thief looking for some valuable piece to take as a souvenir from the party.

Anyway, Lexa kept a short and precise dialogue with her, refraining from really showing what that woman was producing in her, that enormous attraction. One of which she had no memory that had ever happened to her with someone she saw for the first time. 

But that blonde with the ocean eyes had something that powerfully attracted her, almost like gravity itself. Even for the first time, Lexa’s phobia had vanished into thin air for a few seconds, surprising her enormously. And the first question that arose from within was to know who she was, and also what she was doing there.

After that brief talk, she couldn’t contain herself from starting to play one of her favorite Billie Eilish songs, which for some time the teenage artist had captivated her with her music and voice. And even became friends with her, after they met a couple of times, and they connected immediately. They kept very much in touch via internet and sometimes also some calls.

That song "Ocean Eyes", that was one of Lexa’s favorite songs from Billie, felt like it was so perfect to describe that pretty blonde named Clarke. In addition to what was causing Lexa to feel internal, something very, very pleasant and unknown.

A feeling that didn’t cause her discomfort, but made her smile and even turn a bit red, trying by all means not to be so obvious. Lexa didn't want to show the blonde her fascination and attraction, not either her weird phobia, but she couldn't resist playing Billie’s song there at that precise moment.

Even when Clarke told Lexa that she was friends with Octavia, and her hopes had been dashed. She knew well that her beloved older sister, when she was with someone, was very possessive. But also that her relationships didn’t last long. 

She was also not sure if Clarke was just a friend of Octavia or something else, but just in case, Lexa told herself to forget about the blonde with heavenly eyes and bad excuses, that made her blush so hard inside. Even though that didn't stop her from giving her a nice compliment in her way, through that special piano performance of Eilish's beautiful ballad.

And Lexa loved it so much when Clarke stopped her steps and turned to look at her, she would swear she lost her panties right then, but she kept cool, focused on the ballad, with her eyes sticking to those keys, even though her cheeks turned a little red. Surely Clarke was paying attention to the song she was playing and yes, she was indeed dedicating it to her, but she remained silent and focused.

Lexa couldn't help but bite her lower lip, her cheeks turning a little pink, as well as that smirking appearing on her face, and she couldn't even look at her again, but she knew that Clarke did intensely. 

Until she noticed out of the blue that her sister Octavia had entered the room, and didn’t have a very happy face as she confronted Clarke who seemed to be in distress.

\- What the... ?! - Octavia finally began to say a little angry.

\- Hello O... - Lexa noticed what was happening, knowing her sister, she knew that Clarke was in trouble. 

So she decided to give a little help to that attractive blonde, who by the way, apparently knew classical music, and that was another point in her favor. Luckily for her, Octavia fell for Lexa’s little trick, immediately diverting her gaze to her and that she had stopped playing, looking at her with a smile, getting ready for that warm tight hug from her big sis, that will coming soon.

\- Lexie! But sis why haven’t you come down to the party?! God!! I feel like centuries have passed since we last saw each other. How are you my little adore bee… ?! Let me see you… - Octavia suddenly forgot to confront Clarke, when her little sister spoke to her from the piano, after she stopped playing it. She couldn't handle her excitement and rushed to greet her sister, passing Clarke almost knocking her over as she passed.

\- Yes…. O….. - Lexa couldn't finish answering her as she was hugged like a bear by her excited older sister. She just made Lexa smile, as she always did, even though she smothered her a bit with her affection.

\- My God! Lexie, how I missed you!! - Octavia just threw herself to hug her sister, making Lexa close her arms around her sister. She was one of the very few people who could hug her like that.

But the pianist's eyes immediately widened after a few seconds, and looked at Clarke, who had stood there somewhat surprised, as she witnessed that family reunion. 

And without being able to avoid it, the pianist winked at her with a conspiratorial eye, causing Clarke to raise an eyebrow, murmur with her lips a "thank you", then smile at Lexa, nodding her head, turning and left the sisters alone, leaving the room in silence.

Clarke's smile charmed Lexa in such a way that she had even forgotten for a moment that she was hugging her sister, as her eyes followed Clarke leaving the room. That blonde was not only beautiful, but she loved the energy she gave off, and those eyes were already her downfall, Lexa told herself. She hoped to see her more often in the future, not just at that party.

After talking with Octavia for a moment, her sister had insisted that Lexa accompany her to finally introduce her to the party, telling her that the guests were people that she knew and there were only a few of them. Lexa rolled her eyes, but with a smile was carried away by her sister so emotional and excited to see her.

At that time, Anya also arrived at the mansion, after successfully canceling the rest of the interviews and postponing the photo session with the Rolling Stones magazine for next week. The sisters met their cousin on the stairs, greeting each other and hugging Octavia. It had been a long time since the model and her cousin Anya had seen each other.

Bellamy was also present, after entering the mansion hand in hand with a tall brunette that Lexa didn’t know. Lexa assumed that Clarke was definitely with her sister Octavia, and that Bellamy might have given her the warning talk, that her older brother used to do with everyone who approached Octavia. 

Lexa knew that Bellamy was very overprotective with her sister, and also with her, but more with the model, because he was also her manager. But thinking about what she had witnessed on the beach, Lexa immediately made her face harden a little, and her brow furrowed when she greeted him with a rather dry kiss. 

Lexa didn't like the fact that Bellamy had treated pretty Clarke like that. But obviously, she couldn't blame her brother, or she would let him know that she had been watching him from the balcony.

Lexa just shook hands with Bellamy's female companion, a lawyer named Echo Azgueda, who smiled like she was doing a toothpaste commercial, but seemed false and materialistic. A conclusion that Lexa soon reached after she had staring at the woman with her eagle eyes for a quick moment. 

Enough to made her statement of that tall smiling woman. At the same time that the female lawyer was holding out her hand to the pianist, and after Lexa quickly shook hers, then immediately released her grip, like it was burning her, uncomfortable.

Echo became somewhat tense and turned her intense gaze onto Lexa. The pianist felt uncomfortable for a second, she didn't like that woman. But she reminded herself that she was with her brother, and that it wasn't her problem and she wouldn't see her after that party. But Lexa liked and appreciated that the woman kept a safe distance, and that her grip was very soft.

Bell had probably warned her about Lexa’s problem, which was something Lexa partly hated about her siblings. She hated that they had to warn the people they were with about her phobia, to avoid trouble when they met her. That led to people always looking at her with those curious, nervous, or pitying eyes, or looking at Lexa like she was a freak.

After the introductions and greetings, everyone headed outside where the party was taking place. Octavia made the music stop and asked for the attention of the invited people, finally introducing Lexa causing everyone to burst into applause, and then raise their glasses to toast the famous pianist, after the model's request. The slightly blushing pianist simply smiled, raising her glass of champagne, which was served to her as soon as she arrived at the party with Octavia and her family.

Lexa couldn't help her green eyes immediately searching for Clarke among the guests, and she found her standing a little distance away, almost in the shadows. 

In those moments she noticed that Costia soon came to Clarke’s side and smiled at her, as well as another woman that Lexa didn’t know, who seemed of Latin origin. 

But the pianist didn’t want to be so obvious with her gaze, and as soon as she had made that contact with those beautiful blue eyes, which seemed to smile warmly back at her, she had withdrawn her gaze from her, and looked at the rest of the guests, thanking everyone for their presence and party in her honor.

Clarke couldn't believe that the beautiful pianist had saved her from a confrontation with Octavia, who was irritated by her presence in that room. And that wink of Lexa's eyes had simply killed her, causing an electric shock that went through her entire body. 

But Clarke had taken advantage of the reunion of the sisters to flee from there. She also understood with that complicit wink from Lexa, that she had done it precisely to help her get out of there unscathed, and she thanked Lexa with the best smile she could.

After nodding her head, Clarke had left in silence, leaving the sisters reunited in private. She returning to the party, because when she come out to the hallway, she had met that security woman again, and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t the time to check the mansion. She had to wait until later or maybe the next day, but it was not going to be easy with that security woman and all the security deployed in the huge house.

Clarke cursed that everything was complicated, and she hoped Octavia would forget that she had found her alone with her sister, or let it slide. But the truth was, that the model had looked angry, and Clarke sensed that she had probably witnessed Clarke’s encounter with her younger sister. Maybe Octavia was like Bellamy, and was overprotective, but in this case with her sister. 

Or that she could be jealous of Clarke, and didn't want her to get close to anyone else in the family. She told herself that she would soon find out, but of one thing she was sure, she needed to stay away from Lexa. What that woman was producing in her was something Clarke couldn't control, it was something so intense that it shook her, and terrified her at the same time.

Clarke returned to the party still feeling everything inside her from that first meeting with the famous pianist, and to top it all, Lexa’s complicity in giving her a hand, so that she could escape from Octavia's anger. She couldn't take those beautiful green eyes that spoke to her so much, in such a short time, and that faint smile so precious, with those somewhat pink cheeks, dedicating that Billie Eilish’s famous and beautiful song to her.

God, she needed to focus urgently, Clarke told herself, she drank a couple of glasses of champagne like they were water. She needed to focus on what she was doing there, what she had to do, and not on having met the woman who lately affected her so much, that she couldn't explain. 

But this fatal attraction, Clarke had to confess, that connection with Lexa had materialized into reality, and she knew very well that Lexa had connected with her in the same intense and inexplicable way. That was not a good thing, it was not in her plans, and it should not happen at all. 

Clarke wasn't there to be attracted to anyone in the family, much less…. She didn't even dare to say it or think about it. Shaking her head as she walked among the guests, several of them already quite cheerful laughing and dancing.

Clarke looked at the people chatting and others dancing around her, and she tried to distract herself, to get out of that world of intense sensations that still involved Lexa. 

She soon found her boss Raven drinking and chatting animatedly with a redhead, who only constantly smiled at her. When Clarke saw Bellamy go by at a fast pace with his partner Echo, heading towards the interior of the mansion. He didn’t look very happy, perhaps even irritated with her reaction, really didn’t matter to her, as long as he didn’t get in her way, or filled the head of his sister, the model, against her, everything would be fine. But Clarke knew that Bellamy might cause complications for her.

She began to walk approaching her boss Raven, who was now left alone when the Woods family left the house and arrived at the party, and Octavia asked for the attention of those present after the music stopped. Clarke stayed behind most of the crowd, who crowded together to hear the model introduce her famous sister, standing next to her, somewhat shy. 

Octavia announced her sister with great pride and happiness, causing everyone to clap and toast her. Clarke did the same, raising her third glass of champagne that she had in her hands, noticing that Costia approached her smiling from one side, and from the other Raven did too, who seemed a bit more cheerful than necessary.

Clarke would have sworn that at a certain moment Lexa's green eyes connected with her in the distance, as if she had searched for her among those present. After noticing how she had made a quick search through everyone, until she stopped at her, for a brief five seconds, after which Lexa simply dedicated herself to thanking everyone for their presence, and the party continued. 

Some approached Lexa at a distance to greet her kindly. And even though Lexa was smiling next to a woman, who Clarke knew was her manager and cousin Anya Forrest, whom she hadn't seen before, she noted that the pianist was simply not comfortable with people very near to her. 

Clarke also noticed the presence of the head of security behind Lexa, moving some distance from her, paying a lot of attention to every person that approached the pianist. She came to the conclusion that the tall woman was indeed her bodyguard.

The party continued, and Costia stayed a few minutes talking with Clarke until she finally decided to go to greet the honoree, her old friend, whom she approached and without problems gave her two kisses on the cheek. Lexa didn’t look uncomfortable with Costia’s greeting, and smiled more honestly and openly now, looking really happy to meet up with her old friend. 

Clarke immediately wondered if perhaps there had been something more between them, probably in the past, when they were teenagers. Because Clarke’s gaydar never failed her, and that Costia felt very strongly as an enlisted one in her gay ranks.

While the old friends were talking animatedly, the song “Sunrise, from the old English group Simply Red began to play, with that beat to which almost all the guests began to dance in a very sensual way. 

Octavia ran to Clarke and after taking her hands she invited her to dance with her. Clarke was surprised by the model, since her eyes had been so focused on the reunion of the old friends, between Lexa and Costia, that she had hardly noticed the model running towards her.

Clarke, smiled immediately and didn’t resist, allowing herself to be dragged by Octavia to the center of the dance, beginning to move in a very sensual way in front of her, brushing against her body with total freedom and very daring. 

Clarke continued her sensual dance, holding Octavia by the waist, and moving in tandem, letting herself be carried away by that sensual rhythm. Also those three glasses of champagne that she had drunk, had begun to make her body feel slightly lighter, as well as making her smile.

Octavia turned her back to Clarke but rested her perfect body on hers moving in a very provocative way, causing Clarke's hands to hold her by the waist and move behind her at the same time. The blonde was clearly feeling the effects of the champagne, being seduce by Octavia’s sensual movements against her body. 

At a certain moment, she felt the intense gaze of someone who was watching her from a distance. Clarke lifted her eyes leaving her chin resting on Octavia's bare shoulder, whose body continued to move against her own. She soon discovered that it was none other than Lexa who was looking at her. 

Those darkened green eyes seemed to devour her, and Clarke was sure it was not the champagne or an optical illusion. Lexa was staring at her with desire in those intense beautiful dark green eyes. 

The temperature in Clarke's body rose to about fifty degrees, with an electrical bolt going through her. And it wasn't Octavia's sensual movements, but Lexa's intensely gaze that had produced it. Clarke also noticed that Lexa seemed to be having mixed feelings, perhaps because Clarke was dancing that way with her sister and not with her.

Clarke held Lexa’s intense gaze as she held her sister's body moving against her, as if she was teasing her with her eyes. Clarke wished so much that it was Lexa's body that moved against her body, with that sensuality. 

Even with that strong connection with the pianist, Clarke couldn't help but smile, causing Lexa to finally take her eyes off her, and prepare to get out of there. But without Lexa expecting it, Costia stopped her suddenly by making her jump, and the bodyguard immediately rushed between them, trying to make Costia distance herself from Lexa.

Clarke noticed immediately that an irritated Lexa said something to the bodyguard, who without saying a word, raised her hands in the air, apologetically, and withdrew two steps away from them. Costia said something to Lexa then, and after a few seconds of deliberation, and a new look at Clarke, who understood it as an "accepted challenge." Finally, the pianist was encouraged to follow her old friend to the dance floor, to the amazement not only of Clarke but of her sister Octavia.

The model was excited and happy, as well as surprised, that her sister dared to dance. Octavia immediately left Clarke, and asked those present who were dancing, to open up a bit of space so that her sister would feel comfortable. This was something Octavia didn't remember Lexa doing. She didn't know if she'd ever actually seen her dance, and she was more than happy that Lexa perked up. 

Lexa, for her part, upon seeing what her sister was doing, rolled her eyes somewhat annoyed, but everyone began to encourage her, and Costia after taking her hands smiling, made Lexa move to the beat of the sensual song, although she didn't dare get too close to her body.

Lexa raised her eyes to Clarke's and it was as if that had been enough to turn her on, and she began to move her body carelessly in a very sensual way, without taking her eyes off Clarke’s. 

Clarke was also turned on, Lexa moved with such sensuality next to her friend, and she was smiling in such a way that showed she was enjoying herself. Lexa’s body rocked from side to side, and her hips rolled slowly, very much in time with the song, and very different from her sister, and Clarke could say, much much better than Octavia.

Clarke's world stopped, even though Octavia had returned to her, and moved in front of her body trying to provoke her again. But Clarke’s brain was short-circuiting right there, and although her body moved alongside Octavia's, her eyes were on that seductive body of the pianist. 

Lexa had no better idea than to raise her now very dark eyes, and reconnect with Clarke’s, while she didn’t stop moving, and even raising her arms as if she were really on fire, and in need of someone to bring her that passion.

Clarke's animal instinct grew at the speed of light in her body, she could feel her sex throbbing with intensity, and Damn! she felt like she was on fire and lost in Lexa, as her intense eyes called out to her, and her movements that took her breath away.

Luckily for Clarke, Octavia was so busy seducing her with her practically erotic dance, but a bit rough for the blonde's taste, that she hadn't realized the connection between the blonde and her sister, or that she was putting on a truly unique show there.

Clarke needed another glass of champagne, to cool down a bit, and to focus particularly on the model if she wanted to stay in that family. So with pain in her soul, and a superhuman effort, Clarke turned so as not to continue watching Lexa dance in that sensual way, with that magnificent swaying of her hips. Otherwise, she knew that at any moment she would jump at Lexa like a wolf in heat.

Clarke simply dedicated herself to touching Octavia, wrapping her arms around her, and even leaving a surprise kiss on her sweaty neck. When Lexa saw Clarke's attitude, she wanted to stop dancing, even though Costia tried to keep her there dancing with her. 

Lexa wanted to just disappear from there, stop making a fool of herself, like she was doing, and she didn't know how the hell she had dared. She had no record in her mind of having danced like this among so many people, because she simply wanted to seduce that woman named Clarke.

Lexa shook off her fascination a bit, which immediately went cold as ice, and after apologizing to her old friend, she left the dance, feeling somewhat stupid. She could never compete against her sister Octavia, it was like competing against an Olympic seduction winner. She cursed herself for the moment of mental stupidity and kept walking among those present trying to get away as quickly as possible from there.

Costia followed Lexa right away, noticing her discomfort, and sudden change of mood, inviting her to walk a bit on the beach, followed at a distance by the bodyguard Lorraine, of course. Lexa was quick to apologize for the unwanted company behind them, but Costia brushed it off, understanding the reasons.

\- So you like Clarke? - Costia said suddenly, making the colors reappear in Lexa's cheeks.

\- What did you say?! No... - The pianist answered without looking at her friend, with her gaze fixed in a straight line towards the darkness. Lexa didn’t dare to even look at Costia, forgetting how well Costia knew her.

\- Come on Lexie, I know you, remember? I know that look of yours, so don't deny it, not to me. And that sensual dance, I have never seen you move like that before, you have even surprised me naughty lady... You did it just to seduce her my friend. I even caught you looking at her and moving like that. You were watching Clarke, you were dancing for her…. Lexa, you're very direct, if you'll excuse my observation. - Costia commented smiling, and that didn’t help Lexa's mood and shame, and she did what she always used to do, change the subject, turn the page on what bothered her.

\- I've missed you Co… - Lexa let out a sidelong glance at Costia who laughed.

\- And I have missed you silly shy Lex, but don't change the subject. You still do that. 

\- Do what…? - Lexa tried to be ignorant because she didn’t want to talk about her humiliation.

\- Change the subject when you don't want to talk about something, or it makes you worry.

\- She is beautiful, interesting... - Lexa confessed somewhat shyly, without looking at Costia, as she placed her hands behind her back, without stopping her walking.

\- Clarke...? That's what she's called, in case you don't know ... Well, yes my friend, I won't deny that she is, and she has also character. You should have seen how she dealt with Bell in two seconds, without lowering her gaze, when your brother acted with his overprotective speech about O. Although unfortunately, I must inform you that I think O won Clarke from you... I think even Bell would have liked to conquer her. I noticed how he looked at her as she walked away from him, he even looked at her ass with desire... Yep, he was ogling Clarke. - Lexa didn’t like hearing that detail.

\- Huh… No wonder, those two never change.

\- Who? Your older siblings and their silly competition for women? No, apparently not.

\- Well, I think Clarke only likes the Woods sisters... - Lexa commented in a double sense giving her friend a smiling look, who immediately guessed what she was referring to or who.

\- You are tremendous... you have not changed Alexandra Woods... always so observant. Let's say that when I saw Clarke well I said… Oh how beautiful the blonde is, and those blue eyes that she has are incredible. But I don't usually mess with the girl of my friends, and apparently, she's with O... - Costia finally confessed, surprising Lexa, confirming her suspicions.

\- I would not have imagined this from you.

\- What? That I like women? Yes, I found out when we were teens.

\- You never told me.

\- No, I didn't and I'm sorry Lexie, it wasn't that I didn't trust you, you had entrusted me with that secret yourself, remember? But it took me longer to accept it and come out of the closet, even with my family. Imagine my mother, the uptight Anne Wilder from the British cream... Her reaction wasn’t very nice when I told her, I assure you. That is why I also decided to move to the United States with Jenn. She wanted to pursue her modeling career in America, and I wanted to get away from my homophobic mother.

\- And what are you doing today?

\- Do you mean if I study or work? - Lexa nodded her head - Well, I study at Yale University, English literature, I want to be a teacher.

\- Interesting career. You have always liked to read, I remember.

\- Yes, that's right ... And you dear Lexie, how have you been...?

\- Well, most of the time in airplanes, hotel, and concerts.

\- I've heard that.

They both laughed and continued chatting animatedly, catching up. Lexa was surprised by the sexual revelation of her old friend, but it seemed good to her that she could free herself from her family, and especially if Costia’s mother didn’t accept her sexuality, which she found very unpleasant. Although it didn't surprise Lexa, that woman was someone detestable, she had never liked her.

After a while, they returned to the party and the mansion, Costia had apologized to Lexa for the absence of her sister Jennifer, since she had a job at the last minute in Paris, and she had not been able to attend. Lexa didn't care too much, of the two Wilder sisters, she only considered Costia her friend. Jennifer was also very gracious and great at chatting, but Lexa was closer to Costia or felt they had more in common.

When they got back to the party, Lexa noticed in the distance in a somewhat secluded place that Clarke and her sister Octavia were engulfed in a heated kiss, or rather seemed to be eating each other’s mouths, and she couldn't help stopping short to watch them for a moment. 

Just as she couldn’t help feeling a pang in her gut, watching how those two became a single figure, the daring hands caressed those clear flaming skins, and their laughter didn’t take long to be present. Lexa hated that image with all her might, clenching her jaw and frowning, as well as clenching her hands into fists at the sides of her body.

Her reaction didn’t go unnoticed by the eyes of her old friend Costia, who was able to observe how Lexa was bothered by the situation, she clearly liked that blonde named Clarke. 

Costia felt sorry for Lexa because she knew how hard it was for her to relate to someone, much less manage to have a romantic relationship. She was sure that Lexa had never had a partner, even though the press managed to match her up with the first person to be seen with offstage. Costia was also annoyed, but not precisely because of seeing Octavia eating her new prey, which was very common behavior of the model, but for another very personal reason.

Lexa after a couple of minutes apologized to Costia, claiming that it had been a long day and that she needed to rest. Her friend understood her and said goodbye to her until the next day. Lexa was glad that Costia confirmed that she would be staying the night at the mansion, and that she would travel back to town on Sunday night. Lexa hoped to continue her talk with Costia and catch up, in a way that had not happened in a long time with the eldest Wilder sister.

Then Lexa approached Anya to announce that she was retiring to sleep. The manager understood perfectly, and was really surprised that she had been at the party for so long, and even more that she dared to dance like that. 

Anya didn't really understand anything, but she liked at the same time seeing her cousin have fun for a moment at least, like anyone else. She assured Lexa that she would let Octavia know when her mouth and body would let go of the blondes. 

Lexa simply nodded and after looking one last time at the hot couple who were still kissing, she left feeling her guts twist, walking at a brisk pace into the mansion followed by Lorraine.

On the stairs, Lexa stopped and turned to face the bodyguard from three steps above, already tired of her pursuit, that although she understood her, she had enough. 

She was in her damn house, and she didn't want to see more security people inside walking around the house, that was full of people she didn’t know, it bothered her too much, and put her in a terrible mood.

\- JUST STOP! - Lexa almost yelled, surprising Lorraine greatly, who stopped in her steps looking at her without understanding what the hell the pianist was talking about, but she suddenly looked hysterical and couldn't understand why.

\- Sorry Miss Wo...

\- I've had enough of your extreme security!

\- But you must understand…

\- NO! You must understand that I’m fed up with the security team trespassing on my property! I want them out of my house RIGHT NOW! - Lexa raised the temperature and her voice quickly, she have enough of everything. 

There had been many things and situations to deal with in one day, but the icing on the cake wasn’t exactly the security people, but Clarke and Octavia devouring each other.

\- But Miss Woo…. - Lorraine was trying to understand where the hell Lexa’s sudden hysteria with the security people was coming from. 

She had especially ordered her men not to disturb the young artist, and she believed they had succeeded. But clearly not. She tried in vain to explain, but Alexandra was clearly angry, and also seemed that she was piercing her with her intense and fiery eyes.

\- Lex, what's up ?! - Anya intervened, who immediately entered the mansion, after hearing Lexa's screams, although luckily they were not heard at the party outside, due to the music. The manager heard them because they were still at the door.

\- I want them ALL out of my house right now, Anya!

\- Everyone?! But Lex… the guests… - Anya thought at first that what had affected Lexa was all those people out there, and she wanted to explain to Lexa that she couldn’t make the guests leave just like that.

\- I mean the security people! They are everywhere, they are drowning me! - Lexa began to hyperventilate and Anya immediately approached her to try to help her, in the face of Lorraine's stupor that she didn’t imagine that this would affect her protégé that much.

\- Ok, calm down Lex, now... Breathe... just breathe love... Come on, let's go to your room. You need to rest, I'll take care of the rest. 

Anya knew that she needed to get Lexa out of that rush of adrenaline and fury that she was in. And she understood her completely, it had been a long and very exhausting day for the young pianist. And also that seeing all those security people walking around the house, wasn’t the most appropriate thing for Lexa.

\- NO! I don't want to go to rest until I see that everyone leaves my house now… right now… Anya! They can stay outside, I just don't want to see them inside. - Lexa tried to calm down and explain herself at the same time, knowing that Anya was trying to help her.

\- Lex you are hyperventilating sweetheart, calm down... - Anya turned and looked at all the security agents who were nearby, including Lorraine, who was still looking at the surprised scene not knowing what to do to help - Come on, you all heard Miss Woods, everyone out, and those who are stationed up in the corridors too... Miss Broughton we'll talk outside in a moment, but I need you to mobilize your people out of the house right now - Anya asked looking directly at the head of security in her eyes, so that she understood that it was really important and needed to be done urgently. Lorraine didn’t agree very much, but given the situation, she only followed the request of the manager and her protégé.

\- I hope you understand what you are doing Miss Forrest... - Lorraine replied, not very happy with the order she would give her people. Anya approached Lorraine as she didn’t like the woman's response.

\- Oh believe me Miss Broughton, I understand… my priority is Miss Woods, and right now she needs the interior of her house to be free from strangers. Please give me a few minutes and we'll talk outside. Thank you. 

Anya tried to be understanding and mediate between the two parties, although it became increasingly difficult for her. But in truth the priority for her was always going to be her cousin, who watched everything without saying a word, just concentrating on breathing and recovering a bit.

\- Very well Miss Forrest... – The bodyguard answered staring directly at Anya’s eyes, while graphing her small microphone to command her people - It's Lorraine Broughton, all the men and women inside the mansion come out right now, we'll meet in front of it.

\- Thank you…

\- No problem Miss Forrest… And Miss Woods, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you have a very good night, and that you can rest.

Lorraine Broughton simply nodded her head, and after giving Lexa one last look, she turned to her side to let the security people come down the stairs from different places. 

The eyes of the young pianist didn’t believe the army of men and women that had spread out through the interior of the mansion. At the same time, she tried to control her breathing as Anya had advised her. 

Lexa’s cousin approached her, to see how she was. After the last security man left, and Lorraine confirmed it to Anya, she also left the mansion by going out the front door.

\- Anya, I don't want them inside the house, not here or at Bly Manor. I can't see unfamiliar people everywhere. I need my freedom my privacy.

\- Sure honey, don't worry, I was also thinking of talking to Lorraine about that extreme amount of staff inside the mansion. But I was going to do it after you went to rest. I'm sorry you had to do it yourself. Lex, you know this is for your good, not for fucking with you right? I'm just worried….

\- I know Annie, and I understand and appreciate your concerns, but I need space. Tell them to stay out of the house and it will be okay, and tell them to remove those security cameras too. I feel invaded, observed in my privacy, and I will not accept that in my own home.

\- Sure Lex, I get it, I'll tell them to remove them right now, and stay out of the mansion. Don’t worry anymore, and go to rest precious, you have had a very tiring day.

Lexa nodded and continued on her way to her room. She was furious but also exhausted. Not the best combination really. But she had to admit that what had produced that internal outburst was seeing her sister with Clarke. Lexa didn’t understand how that fact could affect her that much, when it was clear that the blonde had come with Octavia, therefore they had something between them.

But Lexa also felt that loneliness was slowly taking over her life. She had noticed that her phobia problem, although she had made enormous progress, was still there, and she had a hard time handling some things, some situations. Lexa wondered if she would ever be able to overcome her phobia, and be able to love and feel love, that wonderful feeling that she always described so well in her popular stories.

That kind of love that readers always praised for how incredibly deep and real it felt, taking her readers into a sea of sensations, to laugh, to cry, to feel that love so intense, so deep. One that Lexa had never been able to feel, live or enjoy in her life. 

She hadn't even been able to kiss anyone on the lips in her 23 years. She was simply depressed by reality, and whenever she liked someone, she could only watch them from a distance, silently, wishing for something she never seemed to be able to achieve in her life, and it was so frustrating. Especially seeing her sister so free, so outgoing, enjoying life and anyone she liked in such an intense and full way.

Lexa felt that she was like she was locked in the castle tower, and she couldn't get out. She couldn't feel free, she couldn't be like the others. Her regrets made her cry now lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

The image of Clarke being practically attacked by her sister Octavia was like a dagger plunging into Lexa’s heart. She would have wanted so much to be the one to kiss those lips until she was tired. To look at those beautiful blue eyes with hers, there brushing her nose with Clarke’s, caressing that skin as white as hers. 

To feel those hands run over her body without feeling fear, without feeling that immediate rejection reaction. But feeling, enjoying the touch, letting go of her sensations, those she described so much in her stories. The truth was that Lexa didn’t know how the hell she did it, if she had to be honest.

Lexa had obviously explored her body, discovering her sexual parts, touching herself, managing to satisfy her natural needs. But she knew well that it was not the same as sharing that moment with someone, letting that someone give you pleasure, making you moan, taking you to that wave of intense sensations, and releasing you from all that incredible energy running through your body. Feeling loved, beyond the physical. 

And the truth was that Lexa felt as though might never be able to experience it. That she would never be able to feel loved or love someone until she lost her fear and phobias, and freed herself from her internal prison, from that tower in the castle.

Also, Lexa couldn’t remove those blue seas from her mind, to which she had connected as she had no memory of doing with any other person’s eyes. Those precious eyes that looked so fiery, laughing, talkative, curious, fascinated. So beautiful, so unique, and at the same time so untouchable… Lexa’s lips sighed “Clarke…” before finally surrendering to the world of dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

[](https://gifyu.com/image/Zw2R)

\- What are you doing here..? - Lexa asked with her eyes wide open, she was surprised and a little scared.

\- You want me to be here...

\- What are you talking about…? I don’t…

\- You want me, Lexa... Don't deny it...

\- Don't be so conceited. - Lexa flatly denied and somewhat nervous, wishing that Clarke would go back to where she had come from, and at the same time she didn’t, because she really wanted her.

\- Well, I don't think so, or you wouldn't be naked waiting for me...

\- But what the... ?! - Lexa immediately lowered her eyes to her body, and indeed she was naked sitting on the stool in front of her piano. Clarke's eyes turned almost black as she moved dangerously close to her.

\- Admit it... you want to feel me, Lexa... you want me to touch you, you want to touch me. - Clarke's tone of voice was deeper than normal, and her eyes flashed desire and lust that made Lexa's hair stand on end, as she looked at her nervously, while her hands tried in vain to cover her breasts and her mount of Venus, almost was not a jungle down there she though for a fraction of second.

\- No... no... stop right there, Clarke...

\- Your eyes tell me something different, Lexa... Don't be afraid...

\- I said stop Clarke or I'm going to scream.

\- It's just you and me here...

\- Please stop, don't get any closer - Lexa begged with trembling hands trying to cover her body, with her terrified eyes somewhat wet. Clarke stopped but only two inches from Lexa’s body, kneeling in front of her without taking her dark blue eyes from Lexa’s green ones.

\- Lexa, give me your hands... please, just breathe and calm down... Just close your eyes and feel me... You know I won't hurt you or do anything you don't want...

\- I… I… no… - Lexa was in a state where she could no longer process anything, her mind was completely frozen.

Lexa felt herself slowly plunge into those deep blue oceans, guiding her to explore them without fear. But she was terrified, her phobia was growing by the second, and her heart was racing at a thousand beats per second. Her breathing was somewhat erratic and she feared that at any moment she would have a panic attack right there, without being able to do anything.

\- Shuuuu… just close your eyes precious and breathe…. - Clarke smiled sweetly, trying to instill calm and confidence. She knew Lexa just needed to trust her, and she knew she could do it.

Lexa finally closed her eyes as she shook like a leaf, trying with all her might not to pass out right there. She was still breathing hard and her heart was not slowing down in its crazy rhythm. But when she felt the softness of Clarke's hands take hers so gently, stroking them with her thumbs for a few seconds, it was as if a balm of sudden calm filled her.

After a short while, Lexa’s breathing improved, and her heart rate calmed down a bit. It was as Clarke’s hands had enchanted her, bewitched her, or had a magical power against her phobia. She was surprised to feel safe, until suddenly those lips she had wanted so much were joined very slowly to hers. 

The kisses were very subtle short kisses, which Lexa felt throughout her body as she kept her eyes closed, and her breathing was a little shaky. She could feel her heart stop beating and her breathing stop right there.

\- Lexa…. Oh, my sweet Lexa... - Clarke sighed between kisses on Lexa’s lips which were still closed but she was so tempted to open them.

\- Kiss me Clarke… please… - Lexa finally begged in a sigh that caressed Clarke's hungry lips, who barely smiled.

Clarke did so, without wasting time her lips parted against Lexa's, who slowly opened her mouth as she let Clarke take her gently, slowly, carefully while a restless tongue subtly began to caress her upper lip, and then the lower one.

Lexa tried to breathe and tried to concentrate on not running away, while a wave of incredible sensations ran through her entire being. Clarke had not let go of her hands and was still caressing them gently, as those lips of hers caressed Lexa’s trembling lips. And that tongue that tickled her’s, making her smile nervously, caressing her thick lips. 

That expert tongue seemed to ask permission to enter her mouth, and Lexa was thirsty to feel it penetrate her, and her tongue met Clarke’s in a wet and fiery dance at the same time...

\- Lexa... Oh Lexa... - Clarke sighed almost in a moan of pleasure to finally obtain the permission that she wanted so much.

\- Clarke... Cla... - Lexa could barely speak and she was interrupted by exquisite and soft lips taking hers and the entrance of that restless tongue...

But when she began to feel Clarke’s tongue inside her mouth, joining in that exciting dance with hers, Lexa opened her eyes agitated, looking for that mouth, those precious eyes, but everything was gone. 

She looked into the darkness that surrounded her, one that was beginning to fill with a small, faint light coming through her bedroom window. It was the dawn of a new day, noticing that it had all been just a dream, a simple and damn dream... Lexa felt so frustrated...

Lexa lifted the sheets looking at her body, she had her tank top and her panties on. Her heart was still agitated, and she immediately brought her hand to her parted lips, remembering that touch, that union so soft and sweet, all the product of a dream. But the feeling that ran through her was so real. Lexa closed her eyes tightly caressing her lips, cursing that it had been just a crazy dream.

She'd tried so hard to enjoy that kiss that had felt so damn true and magnificent. Lexa was kissing someone for the first time, and it felt beyond great. She was kissing Clarke or rather allowing herself to be kissed by her. God! She sighed shuddering completely in silence, opening her moistened eyes again, feeling the trembling sensations run through her body again.

Lexa felt so stupidly frustrated and aroused at the same time. She tried to shake off all the sensations, and those silly thoughts of a kind of Clarke Griffin like that, so ideal for her. Someone so sweet and gentle that she would make her, for a moment, forget her phobia, with a simple kiss. 

She rubbed her eyes for a moment, trying to focus on waking up at once and letting go of the feeling. Lexa reached with her right arm for her watch and see what time it was. While her room was now filled with that palette of warm and wonderful colors of dawn. It was 6:17 in the morning, she dropped the wristwatch back on the nightstand next to the big bed, and lay back staring at the ceiling, letting the air out of her lungs, really feeling so silly and vulnerable.

Lexa knew she wouldn’t sleep anymore, so after finally recovering a bit, she got out of bed and headed to take a shower in her private bathroom. She needed the water to finish getting rid of all those strange and new sensations, that she could still feel running through her entire being. As she repeated to herself in frustration that it had just been a damn dream. Clarke was probably lying naked next to her sister Octavia in her room, having fucked like rabbits all blessed night.

She cursed aloud in the five languages she spoke so that none were left in her mind, as she brusquely removed her clothes, throwing them into the basket of dirty clothes, noticing with more anger that her panties were damp. The damn dream had felt so real that they had even gotten wet.

Lexa was grateful that her sister's room was a bit far from her own because she couldn't bear to hear what they were doing. The water kept running over her body, but she couldn't wash away the sensations she had experienced in that strange dream, which by God had felt so damn real. And she couldn't help but wonder again if Clarke could be that sweet and soft. Being so careful trying to kiss her… Something told her that maybe she was.

Clarke Griffin looked a gentle and respectful woman, beyond snooping, and that her eyes were somewhat daring looking at Lexa with impudence. But right away she remembered the hellish scene where her sister was eating Clarke with her mouth, and Clarke responded in the same grotesque and savage way. 

She wouldn't put up with something like that for a joke, or because she wanted her so badly. Lexa would feel that she was raping her, although some call that way "passionate", she saw it quite the opposite. But it was very clear that between her sister and her there was a gulf of differences in many ways. 

She was really like night and day with Octavia. Lexa wanted to kiss a woman, to kiss her in that way as she had dreamed, slowly, gently, gradually discovering that special union, feeling it in her whole being and igniting all her senses.

Lexa finally got out of the shower not achieving much of what she was hoping to do, clear the dream from her thoughts. She put on clean clothes, the ones she adored, very comfortable and informal clothes, a simple shirt, a knitted sweater, white linen pants, and sandals on her feet. 

She wanted to take a walk on the beach while watching the sunrise so that she could relax a bit, and perhaps recover from that dream that left her so affected.

The mansion was completely silent and she adored it, in addition to not seeing those damn cameras anymore, or anyone from the security team of that new bodyguard of her inside her house. Lexa was grateful that Anya made her wish possible, as always.

The pianist entered the kitchen where Helena, the cook, was preparing breakfast. She greeted Lexa amiably as she always did, and the woman expressed her joy to see her again after a long time. 

Helena offered her a cup of coffee, which Lexa gladly accepted, adding some lactose-free milk. Likewise, freshly made pancakes were also served, which were decorated with chocolate and raspberry syrup. It was not the healthiest of breakfasts, but the pianist sometimes indulged in those treats in her diet. 

She smiled happily after eating two pancakes that were delicious as always, just like Helena made them, which without a doubt were simply the best. She grabbed her coffee cup to take with her, leaving the house, and started walking towards the beach, she wanted to breathe that fresh and salty sea air as she finished drinking her coffee.

She stepped outside, stopping her steps, fascinated with the beautiful sunrise in front of her eyes, the sky a palette of oranges, purples, and dark yellows. Lexa couldn't see the sun as it was behind her, but the colors in the sky were incredible. She smiled after taking a couple of deep breaths, letting her lungs fill with that cool ocean air, which sounded restless, with the white waves kissing the shore. It was one of the most beautiful sounds to her ears, after the notes of a piano.

\- Precious isn’t it? Good morning Lexa ... - Suddenly a somewhat raspy and familiar voice surprised her on her left side, luckily at a distance.

Lexa frowned automatically, and turned her head with a serious face towards her, and it was indeed the woman of her dreams... she thought... correction, the new "fuck friend" of her sister. One that she had to eliminate from her thoughts like a miserable annoying mosquito.

Lexa observed Clarke without saying a word, and seemed to study her, completely lost in that wonderful face so perfect. In the effect that the sea breeze produced with her long silky blond hair, beginning to feel those sensations of her strange and vivid dream run through her entire body. 

She cursed herself enormously and she cursed Clarke, with all her might. But gosh! she looked so gorgeous with those blue eyes like that ocean in front of her, and that lovely smile. Lexa was so immersed in that silly trance, that her coffee cup almost fell into the sand under her feet but she was finally able to react.

\- Good morning Clarke... - She managed to say trying to sound normal, although inside the butterflies were beginning to fly, and she was looking for one of those RAID sprays that kill everything.

\- I hope I’m not bothering you… I couldn't sleep. I always find it hard to sleep in beds that are not mine... - Clarke commented now turning her eyes towards her, with that smile that Lexa was having trouble not returning, but when Clarke spoke about someone else's bed, only her sister came to mind and her brow furrowed again.

\- My sister's bed is very good, and Octavia sleeps like a rock… - Lexa commented sarcastically, and a small knot in her gut, now turning her eyes to the ocean.

\- Oh…. Yeah…? What interesting information... I'll keep it in mind. The one with the guest room is very good too, but still... - Lexa couldn't help turning her hopeful eyes towards Clarke again, and a little sigh escaped from her lips.

\- Perhaps…? - Clarke smiled knowing what Lexa meant by her unfinished question, if Clarke had spent the night in her sister Octavia's bed. So why not bite a bit.

\- Are you gossiping Lexa Woods…? - Clarke blurted out, and Lexa’s face immediately caught fire, turning her face to the sea. She hated Clarke with all her might.

\- No… I don't… no… - Lexa could barely reply, she was frustrated and now was blushing.

\- Don't blush… - Clarke giggled, putting her hands in the pockets of her dark blue jean pants, and looking down like a mischievous child. 

Lexa glanced at her, and fell in love with Clarke’s attitude following her with her eyes, while her lips slowly curved. She was fighting an internal battle, but she felt that this woman could be mischievous, so could she.

\- I'm not gossiping Clarke. I'm not interested in what you and my sister have, or you both are doing. Only last night you and my sister gave a show at the party that wasn't hard to imagine how could have continue…

\- Oh... yes, I suppose... But if you're interested…

\- I said I wasn't interested in knowing Clarke. now if you'll excuse me I want to walk a bit.

\- Hey… hey… wait… I wanted to thank you for helping me last night. You know…

\- I don't know what you're talking about. Goodbye Clarke... - Lexa began to walk, she needed to get away from that weakness as soon as possible. But Clarke wasn't going to let her go so easily, no of course not.

\- Wait... Does it bother you if I come with you? I promise not to irritate you more, or at least I will try... - Clarke approached her quickly, causing Lexa to give her another one of those special glances, and after slightly curving her lips to the side, she replied as she continued walking.

\- Do I have any other option...?

\- Well, you can always say "no Clarke I don’t want your annoying company" and I will respect it... - Lexa could have say no, and she knew it, but unfortunately, she couldn't tell Clarke that she didn't want her company, because a part of her really want her by her side in that walk. 

Lexa put her cup of rest of cold coffee on a table, and after putting her hands in the pockets of her pants, she answered Clarke without looking at her, simply resuming her walk towards the beach.

\- Whatever...

Clarke smiled happily, putting her cup on the same table as well, to start accompanying Lexa. She didn't keep bothering her anymore than she knew she already did. 

Besides, she knew this it wasn’t a good idea, what was starting here with the pianist, that closeness, that relationship of some kind with her. But Clarke couldn’t resist seeing Lexa in the kitchen finishing eating those pancakes, with so much pleasure in her face, as if she were a ten-year-old girl.

Clarke loved the image and would have given her life to wipe that raspberry chocolate syrup mouth with her lips and tongue. God, she was dying to kiss those thick lips, that seemed to call to her every time those magical green eyes looked at her fiery, curious, fearful, but also eager.

Clarke waited for Lexa to come out of the kitchen, and after receiving a cup of steaming and exquisite coffee from the friendly cook, she had followed Lexa out of the house. 

The pianist was so beautiful in those casual clothes, with her long wet brown hair, and her face clean and fresh after a morning shower. Clarke could even smell that citrus soap on Lexa’s skin, mixed with a shampoo of the same scent, one that invaded her nostrils in an aphrodisiac way, making her shiver.

Even more so when Clarke left the house after her, and the sea breeze mixed with the perfume of Lexa’s skin and her hair, reaching her, caressing her face in such a way, that she closed her eyes for a brief moment to feel, and a moan of pleasure almost escaped her. 

It was truly such an exquisite and electrifying feeling running through her. She needed a couple of minutes to react from that trance in which she was lost. Clarke knew with each passing minute that she was in serious trouble with that stunning beautiful pianist.

As they walked away from the mansion walking along the beach in silence, a pair of eyes watched them from one of the windows of the guest room. There was no happiness in them, but anger, and not envy, but she knew she had to breathe and wait because her moment would come. 

She needed to be patient, she told herself, trying to calm her racing heart and that knot in her gut. Meanwhile, Lexa could have her silly moment with the blonde. She followed them for a few minutes until after grinning maliciously, she closed the curtains to focus on starting the day, continuing with her plans.

On the beach, the waves almost kissed the feet of both women, who walked in tandem, without saying a word. Clarke didn't want to disturb Lexa's calm and silence, she wanted her to start if she wanted to speak, and she did so interrupting precisely that thought, almost as if she had read her mind.

\- What do you do Clarke...? - Lexa asked suddenly, without looking at her and without stopping walking, observing in the distance how a pair of screeching seagulls flew over the waves.

\- I'm a photographer, well, a photographer’s assistant for now. I'm getting some experience working with Raven, being her assistant. - Clarke didn’t know why she felt a little nervous explaining that. 

It was like if she didn’t want to lie to Lexa, and although it was not entirely a lie, in part it was, and she didn’t feel very good about it, wondering at the same time what the hell she was doing.

\- Who is Raven? - Lexa asked, not knowing who the woman was. Although the name sounded somewhat familiar. Maybe her sister had introduced her to her the night before at the party, but she didn't remember. There were too many people for her liking, although most of them were acquaintances.

\- Oh, your sister didn't introduce her to you, she was a little too happy last night. Raven Reyes is a well-known photographer, did a photo session for Octavia on this past week, and that's when we met, in the studio.

\- I see... interesting...

\- What is interesting?

\- My sister doesn't normally relate to people who work with her... Well, she hadn't done until now... - That information only made Clarke happier and more confident, her plans were going from strength to strength.

\- Interesting... But I couldn’t say that we are having something... We hardly know each other. Let's say that we are known to each other... - Lexa didn’t agree very much with Clarke saying that she was only an "acquaintance" of her sister. Lexa was sure that they already knew every part of each other, she thought with another knot in her stomach.

\- Yes, I already realized that last night. 

\- It's time to gossip... - Clarke commented laughing, after a slight giggle, causing Lexa to stop walking and confront her with a frown.

\- I'm not a gossip! - The offended pianist assured.

\- Excuse me, but your comment doesn't make me believe you... - Clarke was loving teasing Lexa a bit, but she knew she had to be careful, she still didn't know her very well to know her limits. Although of course, she didn’t care.

\- It's none of my business, I'm not interested. - Lexa said with a wave of her hands, resuming her walk.

\- Sure... - Clarke only answered still smiling and ironic, causing Lexa to stop again in her tracks, almost crashing into her. The pianist pierced her with her green eyes blazing, her face tense.

\- It's true, what my sister does in her private life doesn’t interest me, much less with whom.

\- Okay, I believe you. Anyway, for your disinterested information, no, I'm not dating Octavia, and no, we didn't fuck last night if that's what you think... - Clarke wasn’t going to let Lexa go without clarifying that point, wondering why the hell it mattered so much to her that Lexa knew.

\- I said I'm not interested in Clarke. - The pianist replied without stopping walking and without looking at her, but a smile had settled on her face, after hearing that. And a damn smile shone in her clear eyes, and that Lexa knew Clarke would read very well and she didn't want to indulge her.

\- Okay, let's change the subject… Are you dating someone? - Clarke's question wasn’t expected and it took Lexa by surprise. 

Did the blonde photographer have any interest in her? She hated how those butterflies flew back into her stomach, making her curl her lips, now glancing at Clarke sidelong.

\- Talking about people that like… Gossips... - She only answered smiling without stopping walking as she bit her lower lip.

\- HA! Sure, now I'm the gossip.

\- It's none of your business, Clarke. If you want to know you can read the magazines full of gossip sections. Sometimes they fill the space with me and make me laugh.

\- I don't read those magazines… I prefer to go to the source of information. - Clarke was obstinate in getting that answer out of Lexa, wondering at the same time, what the hell did she want to do that for, and why did she need to know that.

\- No one. – Lexa finally answered staring at the ocean.

\- What do you mean?

\- I don't date anyone Clarke. If that satisfies your curiosity. So yes, I’m a weirdo, as surely they have described me before you met me. - Clarke could feel the pain in Lexa’s answer and it hurt, but she didn't know exactly why, but it did. 

Clarke didn’t see Lexa as a weirdo, but a special and beautiful woman, and very dangerously interesting too. That was starting to be the problem for Clarke, how interesting the pianist was becoming every minute she spent with her.

\- I don't think you're a weirdo… I think you're someone special… You are talented, beautiful, interesting, mysterious, elegant…. In my eyes, you are a long way from being a freak. - Clarke confessed very sincerely and at the same time cursed herself, she shouldn't have said that. 

She didn't want to spark Lexa's interest in any way with her, and she knew the pianist already was interested. She could read it in her gestures, in her eyes, when Lexa was with her. She was such a transparent and honest being that it seemed unreal.

\- Are you telling me that O didn’t tell you and warn you of my strange phobia... - Lexa was sure that her sister had talked to Clarke for a long time about her, so that she wouldn’t be that confident, tried to greet her with a kiss and make her react badly. But Lexa had to admit that hearing what Clarke had just said made her shudder, and made her smile from ear to ear, although she held back from expressing it.

\- If she did, so what? I don't feel strange walking with you, I don't feel like you're different from anyone else. Except…

\- Except what...?

\- Well, that you are someone different from the others, at least you are for me... – “Oh for fuck sicks Clarke...!” she thought immediately after her words escaped her lips. 

Lexa stopped and looked into her eyes with an expression so full of different things, that Clarke stopped breathing for a moment. She knew almost without hesitation that Lexa was interested in her. And that wasn’t a good thing, especially her fanning the flames with what she had just said.

\- I don't like people approaching or touching me... - Lexa only commented continuing her path, after those seconds in which she had been lost in those oceans that seemed so sincere, that they shook her.

\- I know, and I think we are keeping a reasonable distance, right… ?. And don't worry, I'm not going to touch you. Actually, I don't really like people doing it much with me either, to be honest. - Suddenly Clarke's world stopped when a beautiful laugh came from Lexa's lips surprising her.

\- You are dating the wrong woman so... - Lexa said after stopping her laugh, which was born from within and with desire. It had been a long time since she laughed that way. Clarke smiled infected by Lexa’s laughter.

\- You mean your sister? I already told you that we are not dating, we are friends, and what you saw last night was just a little too much alcohol, to be a little over the top, it was nothing more. - Lexa didn't believe Clarke, but her blue eyes seemed sincere and she liked reading that

\- Hmmm…. If you say so. Like I said, is non of my business.

\- What do I have to do to make you believe me...? - Clarke felt somewhat irritated by that doubt of the pianist and again, she wondered why the hell she cared so much what she thought.

\- Excuse me, but I would like to continue alone if you don't mind… - Clarke felt a little prick of pain in her agitated heart, she was not expecting that Lexa would dismiss her like this. 

But she didn't want to upset her or make her feel drowned by her presence. Besides, it was for the best, if she kept going it wasn't going to be good for either of them.

\- Sure, no problem… - Clarke was about to turn around and leave when in the distance she spotted a beautiful and huge red rose in the sand - Hey… look, Lexa… What a beautiful rose… and how big… - Lexa's face contracted when she saw what Clarke was pointing at a few feet from them. It was one of those special red roses, like the ones that the stalker sent her, and obviously, it was carrying another one of those damn notes...

It couldn't be, not there, Lexa told herself mentally, her eyes widening. How could it be possible? Could it be that the stalker was beginning to confirm her suspicions? Was it someone she knew? Someone close to her? And maybe they had been to the party the night before?

As Lexa rambled on in her mind, Clarke excitedly stepped forward to fetch the rose, before the waves caught it and carried it away. As Lexa saw Clarke move towards the rose, she immediately tried to stop her, coming out of shock and her thoughts.

\- NO! DON’T CLARKE! Don't grab it! - Lexa shouted scared and Clarke stopped immediately, looking at her somewhat strangely, not understanding what was happening to her.

Clarke’s memory immediately took her to that concert, when that rose had flown over the stage, or rather over the piano, falling near the pianist's feet. And she had noticed how the young woman had become nervous skipping a note. 

She quickly deduced that Lexa was having trouble with someone. A fucking stalker. But Clarke needed to act a little confused, she couldn't tell her. "Ah, I know what it is about, unfortunately as I ran after that man or woman the other night, but I didn’t catch the stupid stalker, when I had secretly attended your concert..."

\- What are you talking about? It's just a beautiful rose... Why not Lexa? What happened…?

\- JUST LEAVE IT! DON'T GRAB IT! - It was the only thing that Lexa could tell Clarke as she entered that damn state. She hated it, didn't want to look like this in front of Clarke. But she couldn't help it.

\- Hey... hey... - Clarke approached her again, without touching her, just close enough to look her in the eyes, trying to work out what was wrong with her - Lexa, are you okay? Do you want us to go back to the house? - Clarke asked in dismay. Lexa could feel her genuine concern and thanked her, but she wished that damn flower didn't affect her that way.

\- NO! No, I just don't want you to grab it… - Clarke frowned but nodded her head while still connecting her concerned eyes with the pianists.

\- Okay okay... calm down Lexa... Just breathe, you're hyperventilating. Don't panic, I won't, just breathe with me... – The pianist staring at that rose like she was in a trance, far aways from there, and getting more and more affected - Lexa look at me please... Focus on me, don't look at anything else... Look at my eyes, breathe with me.... - Lexa immediately followed her orders, noticing how gentle and calm the tone of her deep voice was - Very well... like this.... Again... breathe in... Exhale…. That's right... You're so prec….

\- Miss Woods…! Are you okay...? - Lorraine's voice interrupted what Clarke was about to say “precious”, lost in those beautiful green eyes. She hated the tall bodyguard, but at the same time thanked her for saving her from making a huge mistake. She wanted so much to hug Lexa and take her away.

Lorraine stopped next to them, assessing the situation, surprising them both, because they had not seen the woman, only a few security men who were walking around the house.

\- Miss Woods...?! What's wrong? Is this woman bothering you? – Lorraine questioned the pianist, giving a glance to Clarke, who immediately give a look back at the bodyguard furiously, thinking “The fuck…?! What the hell is wrong with you idiot?! - Please back off... Give Miss Woods some space... - Lorraine turned a murderous look at Clarke, who returned it without problems, not moving an inch from where she was. Frowns looking immediately at her, and then back to Lexa, just to know if the pianist was fine.

Clarke didn't understand why that damn woman had been keeping an eye on her since the night before, but she didn't like it a bit. What she didn't know was that neither did Lexa. Clarke knew she shouldn't confront Lorraine, she needed to go unnoticed, but that woman had filled her patience, and she couldn't keep quiet.

\- What the hell is wrong with you lady? Are you serious? You want me to leave? You know, I don't know what the problem is that you've had with me since last night, but I'd ask you to stop. I haven't done anything, I'm just trying to help Miss Woods here.

\- Leave us right now! - Lexa released somewhat more responsive looking not at Clarke but at Lorraine, who looked at her strangely.

\- Excuse me, Miss Woods, I don’t...

\- I said leave us! I'm fine... Miss Griffin is a friend of the family, she hasn’t bothered me, as she said, she was helping me. That damn rose over there did.

Lorraine looked where the pianist was pointing and her teeth clenched as the fists of her hands clenched tightly. It couldn't be, it just couldn't be, she thought to herself. That damned bastard had gotten too close to her protégé. It was clear that they knew the pianist, and possibly had been at the party the night before.

\- I'm so sorry Miss Woods, I'll take care of it right away. Miss Griffin, I owe you an apology. I don’t have anything against you, I'm just doing my job. Now, if you excuse me… - After saying this Lorraine didn’t waste a second and went in search of that damned flower on the sand, the one that had another of those notes attached.

Lexa and Clarke watched her intently from a distance. Lexa wanted to get rid of that incompetent new bodyguard right now. How the hell with so much security around the house, that rose had got there? It could only be explained by confirming her suspicions, that it was someone she knew, and who had evidently been at the party.

Clarke, for her part, cursed the stalker idiot, but apparently, it was serious, since the bastard had gotten too close to the pianist. She could only deduce that it was someone close to Lexa, and that they had definitely been at that party. 

Otherwise, it was impossible for someone to breach the private perimeter, that was heavily protected and guarded by so many security people, to leave that rose there. 

Clarke began to wonder who the hell it could be, and what they wanted from Lexa, or why the hell they were stalking her. And as she had told Lexa, she always went to the source of information.

\- Are you feeling better…? - Clarke looked at Lexa once more and the pianist nodded, connecting with her eyes again - What's wrong Lexa? What does that flower mean?

\- I can't tell you, Clarke, I'm sorry, is a security matters… I just want to go back... - Lexa didn't feel comfortable at this moment of sharing what the flower meant with Clarke, she didn't want it to reach the press. And although she was very attracted to her, she didn't know Clarke enough, and she definitely couldn't trust her. Unfortunately, she was a suspect at the time.

\- Of course, let's go. – Clarke didn’t wanna insist looking how affected still was Lexa and her negation to share what was going on. She understood as she was a complete stranger.

\- And Clarke….? – Lexa stopped after a few steps and confronted Clarke, who just stopped as well and look at her immediately.

\- Tell me Lexa.

\- I'm sorry to have reacted like this.

\- Don't worry, everything is fine, you are fine, that's what matters. Now let's go back, the coffee was delicious but I need some food for my breakfast.

Lexa just nodded as she walked beside Clarke, her face serious and still contorted, as her heart was beating fast. Her mind was trying to think of a possible candidate who was there last night. 

But the women present and known were so varied, some she hadn't seen in a long time. And Lexa wanted to cross Clarke off the suspect list, but still couldn't. Her mind was racing, to such a degree that she had forgotten that she was walking alongside Clarke, who remained silent.

Lexa had felt good the way Clarke had helped her through her panic attack. It was as if the pretty photographer knew how to handle people with these kinds of problems. And although she felt somewhat silly and vulnerable in front of those blue eyes, that she already adored. 

Lexa felt that Clarke had been very respectful, concentrating only on helping her, and not looking at her and judging her like a freak, as people sometimes used to do. 

Clarke had made it possible for Lexa to recover from her panic attack in no time, almost like Anya could, who had known her all her life, and that surprised her greatly. No one apart from her cousin knew how to calm her so quickly.

For her part, Clarke was deep in thought as she walked with Lexa back toward the house. Was someone chasing or harassing the pianist with those roses? She remembered what had happened in the theater days ago and cursed herself for not being able to be faster on those stairs, but with the heels she had worn for the concert, she couldn’t do it.

Now that rose there on the beach so close to the house was not a good sign. Clarke now also understood all the security everywhere, but obviously, they were not very efficient, since whoever was harassing Lexa had done it again, leaving that flower there. That meant they knew the pianist because that beach was private and guarded, so without a doubt, it had to have been someone who had been at the party.

Clarke immediately thought about the details she had, the stalker was tall, and unfortunately at the party, there were several tall people, both men, and women. She needed to find out who it was and try to find out what the hell was going on.

Clarke was also frustrated that she had not found anything in the mansion during her early morning investigation, when everyone was asleep. She had even discovered Lexa's room by walking into it, and watching her sleep so quietly, she looked so beautiful. 

Clarke was dying to just get under the covers and hug her like a teddy bear, protect her… But after a few minutes of foolishness and enormous risk, she had come out and continued her rather risky investigation. She was grateful that all of a sudden, the security cameras had disappeared, and the security people had stayed out of the house. 

Undoubtedly, she had great luck, but it hadn't helped her. That house didn’t have any documents, and not even in the safe that she opened without problems, where she only found some worthless papers, money, and some jewels that she left in their place. But she didn’t find anything that would help her.

Titus Woods evidently didn’t visit that mansion very often, or leave important documents there. Clarke knew that she would probably find those documents in the mansion in England, that one called Bly Manor, which she somehow needed to get to.

During the party, Clarke had found herself facing the model, who was drunk and had hinted at going to her room following the round of hot kisses and naughty hands. But Clarke excused herself because she was tired and preferred to rest. 

She needed to have Octavia wanting her for a while, because if she fucked her so soon, the model would lose interest in her very quickly, and it didn't suit her, of course. 

Clarke wanted Octavia to want her, to die to have her in her bed, and for that, she needed to make her beg a little. She needed to keep Octavia at a distance. The model was undoubtedly a savage, after those hungry kisses she felt that Octavia was someone brutal in bed. But she wasn’t afraid of her, she knew how to tame beasts like the model without problems.

On the other hand, Clarke honestly didn’t want her, the model didn’t interest her, in other words, Octavia Woods didn’t awaken her at all. Perhaps in other circumstances, they could have been friends, since she found herself very comfortable talking about everything with her, but this was not the case, not today. 

Especially if she managed to bring her father’s killer to justice, she doubted Octavia or any of the Woods would want to keep in touch with her, other than in court. Even though the model wasn’t as attached to her father, as Lexa supposedly was.

And despite all the negatives things Clarke found with Octavia, the real problem was that she already had someone else occupying her mind, her deepest and most carnal desires, and she was fighting hard against it. 

She couldn't, she just couldn't mess with the young pianist, she didn't want to use her, but rather to leave her on the sidelines of her mission. Lexa was a good person, with huge problems, and someone who Clarke not only admired for her enormous musical talent, and was also someone she cared about, more than necessary, definitely more than she wanted.

A protective instinct for Lexa had suddenly been born in Clarke, and she cursed herself because it was addictive, and as much as she fought it, was almost like fighting against the wind. She knew that one way or another, sooner or later she was going to hurt Lexa with her mission, with her actions. 

Especially if she was close to her father, and Clarke was already truly sorry. But nothing and no one was going to stop her, from finding that damn evidence and linking him to the murder of her father twelve years ago. Titus Woods was going to pay for his crimes before the Canadian justice system, and in a big way.

As they arrived at the door of the mansion, they were met by none other than Costia Wilder, stretching and smiling, while yawning. Lexa stopped at once, staring at her with a look Clarke didn't quite finish deciphering. She still wondered if those two had been a couple in the past. 

But she quickly told herself that it was none of her business, and she need not care. What's more, if that Costia was planning to approach Lexa that way, it was perfect for her, to get rid of that stupid momentary fascination with the pianist. Even knowing that this was a big lie, she needed to hold onto it tooth and nail.

Clarke grinned from ear to ear looking at Costia, even though something inside her was twisting and she hated her, and she was dealing with an internal struggle. She scratched her head a bit, trying to focus, Lexa was on another planet staring at Costia in that very delicate floral print strappy sundress. 

She looked really beautiful, despite slight bags under her green eyes, similar to Lexa's. But in Clarke's eyes, the pianists were much prettier, and there she was again… She mentally cursed herself again for her stupid fascination.

\- Hello Costia, good morning… - Clarke finally said breaking that annoying silence.

\- Good morning Clarke, Lex... you have beaten me, I was going to take a walk on the beach before having breakfast... - Costia answered smiling and illuminated.

\- Morning Co, if you want I can accompany you and we can talk a bit - Lexa said somewhat shyly and Clarke's saliva caught in her throat.

\- Well girls, have fun, enjoy the walk. I need to eat something. If you'll excuse me.

\- Clarke, don’t sit on the sidelines please, if you wish you can join us... - Costia invited when she perceived that blonde's discomfort.

\- Oh no, don't worry Costia, I need to put something in my stomach or I'll fall over. But thanks for the invitation. Now I would recommend that you go in the other direction. I don't think Lexa wants to go back to where we just came from.

\- Ermmhhhhh... yes, of course... see you then. – Costia didn’t understand very much that advice from Clarke, and immediately looked at Lexa that was now looking very seriously. She imagined that something had happened, but she wasn’t sure.

\- Lexa, I will see you later. - Clarke barely glanced at Lexa as she turned to enter the house. The pianist looked at her somewhat confused and with mixed feelings, but she liked having a moment alone with Costia.

\- Yes, for sure Clarke, and thanks for walking with me, and your help back there. - Lexa answered, raising a somewhat timid hand, before Costia's mischievous look, who smiled at her and knowingly winked at her.

\- It was nothing. - Clarke answered, looking at Lexa over her shoulder and then continuing towards the interior of the mansion, noticing Costia's mocking laugh as Clarke thought she doesn't like me one bit.

Upon entering the mansion Clarke headed for the kitchen, although her stomach had clenched up a bit, and she no longer had the same urge to eat, but she needed to eat a little. 

Upon her arrival, the cook Helena explained that breakfast was served in the dining room, or if Clarke preferred it she would take it outside, to the garden. Clarke ignored the garden, she didn’t want to sit there and watch those two walking on the beach. 

So she opted for the dining room, and after giving her answer to the cook, and thanking her for the offer. But as Clarke entered the great dining room, with that long table in front of her, she regretted it. There she met none other than the very charming Bellamy and his partner Echo, alongside a very sleepy Raven, who was ridiculously still wearing her sunglasses. In front of her was the pianist's manager, that Anya Forrest, and Clarke went to greet those present out of simple politeness, not because she felt like it. Octavia surprised her from behind by hugging her and leaving a kiss on her neck as she entered the room.

\- Good morning gorgeous…

\- Good morning Octavia... and everyone.

\- Hmmm…. - Raven answered sounding like a fool nodding her head.

\- Good morning Clarke - Echo replied smiling and gentle, taking a piece of toast to put butter on it.

\- Morning - Bellamy barely said with a serious face, and quickly concentrated on his cup of coffee. He noticed immediately how Anya looked at him raising an eyebrow, shaking her head, and then looking at Clarke.

\- Good morning… I'm Anya, Woods' cousin, and Alexandra's manager…

\- Oh don't waste yourself, Anya, Clarke knows we call her Lexa… Come join the table, Clarkie… - Octavia invited as she took her by the hand to follow her and sit next to Anya.

\- Hi Anya, nice to meet you. I'm Clarke Griffin, a friend of Octavia.

\- HA! Sure, last night she was unknown, today she is already a friend... How fast she rises in the standards of my little sister... .- Bellamy commented sarcastically, looking at Clarke from the other side of the table. Octavia was instantly angered by her brother’s comment.

\- Bell the fuck?! You wanna go there ?! Sometimes you act like an idiot brother. If it won’t cost you too much, I ask you to respect my friends, as I do with yours. - Octavia shot a look at Echo, who felt somewhat uncomfortable, as she took a sip of her coffee.

\- I'm just saying how things are… - Bellamy replied putting marmalade on his toast.  
\- Okay, shut up and eat Bell, it seems you need to eat a little... Clarke, please ignore him, sometimes he can be a jerk, but I assure you that he is a good person.

\- Thanks sister.

\- Sure, although I understand…. - Clarke didn’t intend to shut up, concentrating her fiery eyes on the dark ones of the oldest of the Woods - It must not be easy to be in the shadow of two talented and famous sisters…. - Clarke snapped as she settled into her chair, looking at Bellamy with challenging eyes and a very slight curve to her lips in triumph. 

The model's manager didn’t need more of that stupid blonde, the new fuck friend of his little sister. Octavia really could be so silly sometimes, and she didn’t notice vultures like that woman Clarke. But he wont be his baby sister in that matters. Octavia was also a grown up woman. Although he wont let a bitch like that fuck his day.

\- I already have enough of this shit to start the day... Bon appetit to all... - Bellamy snorted through his mouth, which he proceeded to wipe with the napkin he had on his lap, and then he got up with a somewhat abrupt movement, taking his cup of coffee in hand. 

His companion Echo, didn’t know very well what to say or do, and she just looked shyly at everyone at the table, and after standing up, she followed her partner smiling at everyone a little nervous, apologizing after taking her cup of coffee with her as well.

\- Not only are you beautiful, but you have ovaries and character, Clarke Griffin, and I like that, and a lot… Don’t take it personally, he acts like that with everyone close to me. Sometimes he is too heavy, and we have already talked about it, but he is overprotective of me.

\- Yeah, don't make a big deal out of it Clarke, Bell is a good guy, he just needs to get to know you a little, but upfront he might be a bit... well, give him time. - Anya added smiling and then biting her toast with butter and jam.

\- What's this all about...? Sorry, my headache is killing me and I missed half the discussion... - Raven spoke somewhat sleepy and confused with the whole thing, rubbing her forehead, making everyone laugh, including Clarke, who served herself one of those freshly baked cakes that smelled delicious.

Clarke felt victorious, but in part, she needed to loosen up a bit with the older Woods, because if Bellamy got annoyed, he was going to start getting her investigated, as well as having her in his sights, and it was the thing she needed the least. Later she told herself to try and arrange a peace agreement with that idiot. But if Clarke could, she would squeeze Bellamy’s throat with her hands.

Amid her thoughts, the head of security came into the room with the damn rose in her hand and the note. She didn't need to say anything but look at Anya Forrest, who after looking at her and closing her eyes in a curse, wiped her mouth. Then after apologizing to the rest of those present, she got up and followed the woman out of the room.

Clarke needed to know what the hell was going on, despite it being none of her business, and after mentally cursing herself, she excused herself with Octavia saying she needed to visit the bathroom. The model told her where the closest one was, while she poured herself a glass of orange juice.

Clarke thanked her and proceeded to leave the room and tried to see where Anya and that woman Lorraine had gone, to listen to them talking if she could. She noticed that they had gone to a room adjoining the dining room. 

The bathroom of course was in the opposite direction, but she took a risk approaching the door of that room, which was a library, the one that had been closed after entering. Clarke looked around to see if anyone was walking around, then she put her ear to the dark oak door, trying to hear what was being said in the room.

Clarke listened as the women argued, and they talked about a stalker named "Jason." Anya was furious and worried, asking the head of security how the hell this "Jason" could have been so close to the house. 

Lorraine indicated that it was someone known to the Woods family, otherwise, they couldn’t have been there, and accessed that private beach, that had been very well guarded. 

Anya then ordered Lorraine to investigate each of the party guests, in any way possible, legal and not so legal. But they needed to know or deduce who the hell it could be, and they could not rule out the women.

That wasn't good for Clarke, she needed to cover herself, she needed to check her background, which anyone could access on the internet. Information that she had arranged to hide who she really was, if someone investigated her as she didn’t wish anyone her real identity. But just in case, Clarke needed to make sure they couldn't find anything that connected her to the Canadian attorney Jake Cotter.

Clarke heard a frustrated Anya asked Lorraine to improve the security or she would be without a job in no time. The head of security complained that it was not easy when the pianist didn’t cooperate with her, and Anya simply told her that she would take care of Lexa.

When Clarke thought they were finished and she was going to move away from the door, she suddenly heard something that shocked her. But before she could process that information in her mind, she was surprised by a familiar voice, making her jump.


	7. Chapter 7

[](https://gifyu.com/image/aSvT)

\- Not only snooping but lying as well ...! - Lexa expressed with a raised eyebrow irritated, with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at Clarke from a distance.

Luckily for the blonde, she was alone, but the shock that Lexa gave her left her stunned. Clarke’s mind was just trying to think of something quick to get out of the compromising situation, although she didn't know if she really could. She didn't know how much Lexa had seen, but she looked very angry. Clarke tried to make her face as innocent as possible, as well as pretending to be offended by Lexa’s accusations.

\- What are you talking about?! I was just admiring the work on this beautiful Japanese vase... - Clarke answered frowning, showing that she felt more offended than anything else. Lexa didn't move or change her posture, she just raised her other eyebrow upon hearing the most childish excuse possible.

\- Chinese you mean… Do you think I'm stupid Clarke ?! - Lexa didn't know what was irritating her the most, the fact that she had found Clarke listening to a conversation that was being had behind a door in her house, or that she was trying to pass her off for a fool. But Lexa had to admit that Clarke looked super cute with that "she caught me red-handed" face

\- No, I don't think you're stupid Lexa. But don’t you know the difference between Chinese and Japanese art? - Clarke lifted her shoulders and the look in her eyes was now between challenging and laughing. 

At this point Lexa was not going to beat her, Clarke had studied art at the University, and knew the difference between the two countries and their arts, when clearly the pianist had no idea.

\- Really Clarke…?! - Lexa seriously didn’t know why she was losing her patience with Clarke, but she was.

When Clarke was going to answer her, the door to the room where Anya and Lorraine were suddenly opened, surprising Lexa and Clarke, who looked at the two women who came out, remaining still and returning their glances.

Clarke began to pray that Lexa would cover for her, or at least not accuse her in front of the manager and the head of security. She hoped her attraction would serve her right now. Clarke didn't even dare to look at her, she had her behind her, since Lexa hadn't moved from her position.

\- Lex... what's wrong? - Anya asked surprised, hoping that her cousin hadn't heard anything she and Lorraine talked about in that room.

Lexa stared at Clarke's back for a few seconds, deciding if she was going to help the pretty snooping photographer, or report her to her people. But she cursed herself when she just couldn't for some stupid reason. 

Even though the question crossed her mind… What if Clarke was nothing less than the damn stalker, and she was helping her like a fool?. Lexa didn't know, but she was surely one of the suspects. Although something inside her told her to trust Clarke, and finally she did, hoping that she would not come to regret it in the future.

\- I was helping Clarke to find the bathroom, and she approached to look at the Chinese vase... - Clarke subtly curved her lips, inside she wanted to cover the pianist with kisses.

Clarke wasn't sure why Lexa was helping her, but she was more than grateful. Although she knew that sooner or later, someone would ask her to explain what the hell she was doing there, beyond looking at the huge precious vase that was luckily next to the door of that room. And it was a Japanese one, as Clarke Cotter was called, she thought to herself. She had no doubts about what she was claiming.

\- Yes, I was attracted to the art on that beautiful vase. I have studied art at the University, and know a JAPANESE vase, when I see one… - Clarke raised her tone a little, highlighting the detail of the origin of that vase, making Lexa squeak behind her back - They have always been my weakness.

\- Chinese...! Clarke, I have explained to you that this vase is of Chinese origin! - Lexa affirmed confidently with a frown and a tense face.

Anya looked at her strangely, something didn’t add up with those two, but she let it pass. Not so much Lorraine who simply stared at Clarke, as if she were taking an X-ray of her from head to toe. 

Clarke held her defiant gaze, a slight smile on her face. Although the bodyguard knew who was correct with the origin of that beautiful and huge vase by the door. And even though she hated it, she wanted to clarify it.

\- Excuse me Miss Woods, but Miss Griffin is right, the art on that vase is of Japanese origin. I know this because I have lived there for a while and I can distinguish Japanese art from Chinese. - Lorraine explained making Lexa's intense green eyes pierce her like two daggers.

The pianist's lips parted in an O, then she complained verbally, as Clarke's eyes widened at the knowledge of the head of security, and that she had helped her in the silly discussion. Anya stood there in surprise as she also looked at Lorraine.

\- AHHHH! This is ridiculous! Clarke, you know where you find the bathroom… I'm going to have breakfast. - Lexa glared at her bodyguard and then at Clarke, who looked over her shoulder with a battle-winning look.

The photographer wanted to keep a low profile since the pianist had helped her during those tense moments. Lexa spun on her heel and left them all quietly standing there. 

Clarke turned her gaze to confront Anya and Lorraine as she made a gesture with hands, and shrugging her shoulders, then walked to go straight to the bathroom, that was at the end of that corridor, but in the opposite direction that Lexa had taken.

Lorraine and Anya watched Clarke until she was lost from their sight. The manager had realized that something in her cousin's story didn't quite add up. For some reason, Lexa was lying about that blonde friend of Octavia, and Anya wondered why. 

Her cousin never lied, much less because of a stranger. Anya wondered if Lexa had become fascinated with the blonde photographer in some way, to the point of helping her with a lie. It was something almost without precedents, which on the other hand she celebrated. She would love to see her cousin in love and happy.

But unfortunately, Clarke Griffin was currently a suspect, like the rest of those present at that party. And Anya wondered what the hell she was doing there, right in the doorway where she and Lorraine had been discussing delicate topics. 

Anya hoped that she didn’t get a surprise with that woman, who for some rare reason she liked. But she needed to be sure, the priority was Lexa's safety, and Anya needed to know who Clarke Griffin was, in case she had to warn her cousin before the blonde could harm her in any way. Although on the other hand, Anya also thought about the fact that apparently, Clarke was with Octavia, she was her friend, or new friend fuck, as the model used to have.

\- Lorraine, start your investigation with that Clarke Griffin. I want to know all about her, but don't let her know she's a suspect. We need her not to protect herself, by realizing that we are targeting her, if she is the person targeting Lexa. 

\- Sure Miss Forrest, I was thinking the same thing... There is something about that woman that doesn’t add up for me. Do you think she is the person behind these flowers and notes?

\- I don't know... Although something tells me that she is not, but I need to know who she is and what she does. Find out everything about her please, and as soon as you have the information you send it to me.

\- Yes Miss Forrest, don't worry. Do you want me to have someone follow Griffin while she’s here?

\- No, I don't want her to realize that we are investigating her at all. And I feel like she's very insightful, so we need to move cautiously. Besides, I think she will only be here until tomorrow if I correctly understand.

\- Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll start investigating her right away, and the rest of the guests.

Lorraine and Anya parted, the manager returned to the dining room, where her cousins Lexa and Octavia were now, together with an old friend of the family that she had not seen for a long time, Costia Wilder. There were also the photographer who had done the shooting session with the model. The renowned and beautiful latina, Raven Reyes, now without her sunglasses, drinking from her cup of coffee. She had a terrible hangover, and Anya felt sorry for her. she returned to sit in her place after greeting Costia, who apologized for the absence of her sister Jennifer, since she had a job in Paris at the last minute.

After a few minutes, Clarke returned to the table and sat next to Octavia again, and now facing Lexa, who gave her a rather serious look. Clarke knew that those eyes were asking her for many explanations, and that later she would have to give them, and it must be much better than her admiration for the art of that Japanese vase.

While in the bathroom, Clarke had taken the opportunity to review her data, and what could be found out about her if they investigated her, and she was sure that now she was number one on the list. She could read in the eyes of the pianist's manager, and that head of security that they were very interested in her, and she cursed herself for being stupid. It was the last thing she needed, attention on her. 

So she checked everything to be sure there would be no way they would tie her to her father or her real mother. Clarke somewhat regretted choosing her mother's last name to pursue her research, but then she thought that Griffin was a relatively well-known, or common, last name, there were many with that last name. 

So she was calm when she saw that everything was in order and that they would not find anything that could attract their attention. Not even traces of any relatives, since she had made it appear that she was an orphan since she was a teen, when her parents had died in a tragic car accident and that she had grown up in temporary foster homes.

Clarke’s mind had recalled the last thing she had heard in the conversation between those two women. Evidently, Lorraine was not just a simple bodyguard and head of security for the pianist, but was nothing less than an MI6 agent. 

And Anya Forrest knew it and they were working together, probably behind Lexa's back, because they insisted on having to be careful that the young pianist didn't get too tired of Lorraine, and wanted to make her go away. Anya explained to Lorraine that she had to be very, very delicate with Lexa since she couldn’t always save her skin. 

Clarke wondered what was this all about? Why was an MI6 agent posing as the pianist's new bodyguard, and why was the manager helping her in her task, or approving her secret job? What was that agent investigating? Was she investigating none other than the same bastard as she was, Titus Woods?

She hoped that wasn't the case, since if it was, it wasn't good news for Clarke. If the British secret service was after Titus Woods, they could convict him for what they were looking for there in England, and she needed to see justice for her father's death in Canada. She didn't give a damn what the British wanted that mobster for. It was just another big problem in front of her.

Clarke was shocked by the fact that Anya Forrest was an accessory to that covert operation behind Lexa's back. But surely the manager had her reasons for acting against Titus, and knowing that perhaps Lexa was close to her father, Anya couldn't be the one to investigate him. 

A range of possibilities had formed in Clarke’s mind, but she told herself this wasn’t the time to analyze this new information. she would have time later in the day or during the week, along with investigating that british secret agent, Lorraine Broughton.

Her priority now was that pair of piercing green eyes looking at her expectantly from there, almost fixed on her, though they were hidden a bit from Clarke’s view, since Octavia was sitting next to her. She would have liked to answer Lexa, all those questions she was shooting at her, through her intense silent gaze. While Costia, at her side, tried in vain to get her attention by talking to her and handing her baskets of food to help herself.

After breakfast, which was a little strange for everyone that morning in the quite crowded mansion, they parted in different directions. Clarke simply went in search of her camera, and after advising a maid that she was going on a short photography tour, she left the mansion in search of some good shots at the beach.

Raven simply excused herself to go to sleep for a couple more hours, heading to her room again. As for Octavia, she had changed into a bathing suit, and with her cousin Anya, they had met by the pool, to catch up, and enjoy the beautiful sunny day. It was one of the last of the summer, at the end of August. 

They had invited Costia and Lexa, but they both excused themselves with different things they wanted to do. Also, Costia Wilder planned to return to the city that same afternoon, feeling that it was better to get away from the famous pianist and old friend again, as soon as possible.

Bellamy for his part, after shedding a bit of his bad mood at breakfast, invited his partner Echo to take a tour of the island in one of the jeeps, that the young Woods always had there to move around the island, as well as other vehicles. 

The older of the Woods siblings needed to get out of the mansion, he was still pissed off at Clarke Griffin. If there was one thing he hated, it was when a woman stood up to him and left him looking stupid. And to top it off, he noticed that he was losing his sibling’s sympathy by confronting that bitch photo assistant, since she had become strategic allies with Octavia, with her natural beauty and sympathy. 

But in his mind, Bellamy knew that something was not right about the canadian blonde. He was suspicious of Clarke in some way, and was not quite sure what her real agenda was, but he was sure she had one. He told himself to stay very close to Octavia, and keep a good eye on Griffin.

Meanwhile, Lexa had secluded herself in her room where the piano and a small library were located, since she was always a good reader as well, and there was a good collection of her favorite authors and books. She owned a larger library at her home in England. 

Lexa also wanted to write a new chapter of her current story, which she published on Wattpad under the name "Heda." She had also mentally programmed herself to have a little chat with Clarke Griffin before they said goodbye. She need to clarify what the hell she was doing listening to what was being said behind that door, where Anya and that head of security Lorraine had been earlier.

The pianist wanted to know the truth of what Clarke was doing there, because clearly, that photographer was up to something, and she was not simply Octavia's friend, or her new fuck friend. 

From the balcony of her room, Lexa had followed Clarke with her gaze, when she had come out to breathe that sea air, and enjoy a bit of the view of the beautiful ocean, when she discovered the pretty photographer walking along the beach, away from the house.

Walking at a steady pace, Clarke was lost on the beach with her large Canon camera slung over her shoulder, along with a good zoom lens. She had a really good body, and her legs were so perfectly toned. Clarke’s long blonde hair was somewhat wild, and so silky playing in the wind. 

Lexa was carried away by the image of that mysterious and beautiful woman. One who at first sight, had internally moved Lexa, as she had no memory of having experienced something like this before in her life, with anyone. She liked and was very attracted to the blonde, but at the same time it terrified her, because she could feel that Clarke Griffin was up to something, and she didn’t know what it was, and of course, Lexa couldn’t forget that Clarke was her sister's new pet.

Also, the image of Clarke walking away on the beach inspired Lexa for her character in the new story she was writing. When the blonde had gone far along the beach, Lexa entered the room quite illuminated by the light of the sunny day, and was already warm. She sat at the desk opening her laptop to begin writing the new chapter, with a strange sense of satisfaction in her being, and it wasn’t the fact that she could sit down to write again, but the person who had inspired her.

It was the first time Lexa had the time to do it on the long and tiring world tour, which luckily for her was about to end. Just two more gigs and she would be able to go home to her beloved haven of Bly Manor, to rest and recharge.

When she was about to start writing, someone knocked on the door, surprising her a bit. Lexa gritted her teeth cursing the interruption, as she let the heavy air out of her lungs and rolled her eyes. Nothing irritated her more than having her creative moment interrupted, both in writing and in music. 

But she had no way of escaping the interruption or who was behind that door. Lexa’s new chapter would have to wait, and she hoped to keep the inspiration and memory of what she wanted to write later. She immediately closed all the applications she had open on the laptop, and finally responded to the knocks and now to that familiar voice... Costia...

\- Lex, are you there...? Excuse me… Can I come in for a moment?

\- Go ahead Costia.

\- Lex, excuse me for interrupting you precious, it is just that I'll be leaving in a couple of hours and I was wondering if you wanted to do something, maybe go around the island for a bit, and we can continue to catch up. The weather is so beautiful... - Costia proposed with excited eyes, making Lexa not able to say at first "No, I just want to write the new chapter of my story..." Also when she heard that her friend would leave that same afternoon, it squeezed her heart a little.

\- Oh… I thought you would stay until tomorrow or maybe more days. I was going to ask you if you could, and wanted to stay a few days since I will stay until Wednesday. - The fact that Lexa wanted her to stay, surprised Costia with joy, but she knew it wasn't a good idea for her. She couldn't stay there by her side, she needed to get away. 

\- I would love to Lex, but unfortunately I have to go back to my apartment, and deal with several things. Next week I will go back to University, and you know... Why don’t you ask that photographer blonde, who has you hooked, to stay a bit longer...? - Lexa raised her eyebrows as she realized that her friend had discovered her secret. 

Although it didn’t surprise her, since Costia knew her almost better than anyone, but she still was going to try to play dumb. Lexa didn't want anyone to know that she liked her, or that she was stupidly attracted to Clarke Griffin.

\- What do you mean?

\- Come on, Lex, it's me, Co... remember? Don't deny that you are quite attracted to Clarke...

\- Oh her... No, I don't think so... Plus she's with O...

\- Look Lex, between us, you know your sister is going to discard her as soon as she gets tired of her, as she does with everyone. I wouldn’t let her go, I mean without entering into a conflict with O, but you know... Don’t lose contact with Clarke, when she tells you when she is free.

\- I have two concerts left in America and I will go home. What's the point of…?

\- I'm just saying don't miss the opportunity Lex… You and I have been friends since we were little, and I know it hasn't been easy for you in your personal life. And in these 24 hours, I have seen that spark between you and that blonde as I have never seen before. I know you are interested in her, and she is interested in you, it is a very strong and mutual feeling. So my best advice friend is not to lose her. And as for going home... You told me you had to do a photoshoot to publicize the next album... How about hiring photographer Raven Reyes? Her pretty assistant will surely follow her, you can hire the whole team to make sure Clarke will come. You can use as a reference that photo session that Reyes has done with O. So you would have her at your home for a few days, and you could continue to approach her, to see what happens.

\- Costia Wilder, you are incredible... did you know? I would never have thought that you would became a totally Celestine.

\- Oh dear, you don't know much about me... - After letting those words out of her mouth, Costia cursed herself. She couldn't stop them, especially when those precious emeralds gazed at her before that comment.

\- I don't know Co... I don't want to mess with someone who is with my sister. I would feel bad.

\- I understand, I assure you, and I'm not telling you that, do it right now. Just keep in touch with her. Because we know very well that O is going to dispatch her shortly like everyone else.

\- Hmm…. I'll think about it… Thanks Co… I like that we have met again. I'm sorry you have to leave so soon. - Costia felt it much more, especially pushing Lexa to get closer to that photographer, but it was necessary, she repeated giving herself a little false encouragement, even when her heart was pressing hard in her chest.

\- Don’t worry, we will exchange phone numbers, and names on social networks, so we will stay more in touch. Perhaps via WhatsApp would be ideal. Also, if you're at the New Years’ Eve parties at Bly Manor, maybe we'll see you there. With Jenn we plan to visit family and stay in the UK for a while.

\- I think yes, I'll be there by the end of the year. I plan to take a long time off.

\- That sounds very healthy and great, you have a too hectic life girl. You need to enjoy it more, and visit the theaters less, if you will allow me to say so. You are still very young but still, try to enjoy life a little like any 23-year-old Lex. Also look at you, you are not only talented, intelligent but a gorge. - Lexa's cheeks turned red after hearing all those compliments from her old friend, who was smiling at her sweetly and sincerely. She was glad she was reunited with Costia after so long, she realized how much she had missed her.

\- You are the best Co, thank you... Come on, let's do something, you're right, I need to do something outside with this precious day.

\- Great, and we're going to invite that pretty Clarke to join us.

\- No, I don't think... - Lexa felt some panic at the idea, in addition to wanting to have a serious talk with Clarke, made her a little nervous to go out for a walk with her, even when Costia was accompanying them.

\- Leave it to me Lex... And don't worry about O, sure Anya is going to keep her busy.

\- What am I going to do with you? - Lexa rolled her eyes and smiled at ease, infecting her friend, who winked at her.

\- Go with the flow... Come on little chicken... Of course, you must change your clothes for something... hmmm… let's say... more interesting... - Costia suggested after giving her a quick look from top to bottom.

\- What's wrong with my outfit? – Lexa look at herself a little worry, making Costia laugh a bit. 

\- We need something else hmmm… Come on, let's go to your room.

Once in Lexa’s room, Costia found a different change of clothes for Lexa. First, she had made her change her underwear for a black bikini, then a white shirt and blue jean shorts, showing off her long and outlined legs, leaving her hair loose. Lexa felt a bit too exposed in that outfit, but at her old friend's insistence, she finally went along with it. 

On the stairs, they bumped into Anya and Octavia coming up talking and laughing, with a towel around their necks, and in their somewhat damp bathing suits. Both, Costia and Lexa cursed that encounter, because they probably couldn't stop Octavia from joining them on that outing.

Anya asked Lexa and Costia where they were going, without Octavia saying anything, just listening for the answer. The friends replied that they were simply going for a ride around the island in one of the cars. 

Costia was forced to invite Anya and Octavia, now they had no way out. The manager excused herself with some business that she had to address, not being able to go. So she asked Lexa to wait, so she could tell the bodyguard Lorraine to accompany them.

Costia rolled her eyes, and Octavia immediately intervened, joining the conversation and assuring Anya not to worry, they would be together all the time, so nothing would happen, they will take care Lexa. Costia also commented that she would ask Clarke to join them, so they would all go tour the island and its many attractions.

Costia and Lexa's plans went down the toilet. It was as if they were both thinking precisely that, looking at Octavia and Anya with the best possible smile. The model asked them for a time to change and meet at the beach. Costia went ahead telling herself and Lexa would go and fetch Clarke, who she knew had gone to the beach to take some photos. Octavia thought it was a good idea, as she left them and ran upstairs to change.

For her part, Anya finally accepted that she could let her protégé go to have a little fun with the others. Lexa needed to do something like that more often, her cousin told herself. Understanding that it was not easy in her life to deal with how everything worked, like clockwork, under so many security and limitations. 

It would be a group of friends touring the island and its attractions, so she gave her consent. But still, and without saying it, she would communicate with Lorraine so that she would very discreetly follow them, just in case. Anya couldn’t ignore the fact that the Woods sisters were two famous and well-known people. That could work against them if they came across people who recognized them and got bothersome.

After leaving the house, Costia and Lexa went in search of Clarke. They were a bit disappointed that they had to change their plan, but Costia assured her friend that she always had a plan B. Lexa laughed heartily as they walked towards the blonde photographer, who they could see in the distance, taking some pictures of some birds on some rocks.

Lexa was somewhat nervous, she had never really planned to conquer someone. But she had never liked anyone so much to try. Also, the way her accomplice Celestine, real name Costia Wilder, pushed her and gave her a little more courage to do that. Even if their plans had changed a bit with Octavia's meddling, which they couldn't change, or it would be too suspicious. 

Lexa had put her sunglasses on, at least to cover her gaze a bit, because she was sure that pair of blue ocean eyes could read her so easy, that was really embarrassing. 

When they reached the photographer it was Costia who spoke, after telling her shy friend to let her handle the talk. Clarke was somewhat surprised by the arrival of Costia and Lexa, to invite her for a drive around the island with them and Octavia. 

The photographer looked at both of them for a moment, especially Lexa, who hated the huge black glasses she was wearing, to finally agreed to accompany them. Clarke thought to herself, she would try to take some good photos of the pianist for her own collection.

Upon arriving at the mansion, a smiling Octavia came out to greet them, and together they went to the large garage where there were different vehicles that they could use. Right away Costia suggested using two, because of Lexa's little problem.

The pianist didn't feel very comfortable when her friend brought her phobia to light, rolling her eyes, putting her hands in the tiny pockets of her shorts. And before Octavia could say anything, Costia immediately suggested that she and the model take one car, and let Lexa and Clarke take another.

The decision surprised Octavia a bit, but even more so to Lexa and Clarke who didn’t have time to say anything, since Costia, after smiling and clapping her hands, went to choose the cars. Costia took Octavia's arm, after telling her that she wanted to spend some time with the model, since she had already done it with Lexa. 

Octavia got carried away accepting the idea, although she would have really preferred to ride with Clarke in the car, she thought that in the end, the trip wouldn’t be very long after all.

Meanwhile, Clarke and Lexa had been somewhat petrified as Costia and Octavia walked away chatting amiably. Then their sunglasses-covered eyes still turned to meet, their faces somewhat nervous and contracted. 

Lexa couldn't help but wet her lips with her tongue, causing Clarke's eyes to automatically drop to that erotic image in front of her, and she was lost for a few seconds.

\- Well, I think we better choose a car, don't you think? – Suggested Clarke, while Lexa a little bit nervous moved away of her in the direction of the garage.

\- Let's go in the jeep, I need fresh air. – Answered Lexa now away from the blonde, giving her her back and some interesting view of her body. Clarke didn’t loose the change to have a look at that very nice cute ass of course. Until she finally reacted and moved her feet, following the stunning pianist.

\- It sounds great to me, I also thought the same ... Do you want to drive or shall I…?

\- You can drive if you want, I don't have a driver's license.

\- Are you joking...?! - After hearing that question and that mocking laugh from Clarke, Lexa gave her a very serious look, raising an eyebrow, and lowering her glasses just so that she really felt her answer. Clarke stopped laughing and moved toward the Jeep parked a few feet away.


End file.
